Platt

See also: platt and plätt

English

Proper noun

Platt

1. A surname
2. A village in Kent, England.
3. (rare) Plattdeutsch, Low German
   • For quotations using this term, see Citations:Platt.

---

German

Etymology

Ultimately the same as platt (“flat”), although the motivation seems not to be quite clear; possibly the geographically low areas of Germany as in Niederdeutsch (“Low German”), or else “not elevated, ordinary, simple” speech.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /plat/
• Rhymes: -at

Noun

Platt n (genitive Platt or Platts, no plural)

1. Low German
2. (regional, chiefly northern and central Germany) a dialect (regional language), usually a German (or Dutch) one

   Das Platt, das hier gesprochen wird, verstehe ich schlecht.

   I have trouble understanding the dialect spoken around here.

Usage notes

Most often, Platt is understood to be Low German, because the term Plattdeutsch refers to Low German. However, many West Central German dialects (e.g. in Aachen, Bonn, or Koblenz) are also referred to as Platt (but not as Plattdeutsch).

Synonyms

• Dialekt
• Mundart

Related terms

• Plattdeutsch

Further reading

• “Platt” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “Platt” in Duden online