1. The Frisian of the Dutch state called Friesland.
2. The Frisian of the parish of Saterland, in Westphalia.
3. The Frisian of Heligoland.
4. The North Frisian, spoken in a few villages of Sleswick. One of the characters of the North Frisian is the possession of a dual number.
In respect to its stages, we have the Old Frisian of the Asega-bog, the Middle Frisian of Gysbert Japicx,[[31]] and the Modern Frisian of the present Frieslanders, Westphalians, and Heligolanders.
[§ 39]. The Low German and Platt-Deutsch.—The words Low-German are not only lax in their application, but they are equivocal; since the term has two meanings, a general meaning when it signifies a division of the Germanic languages, comprising English, Dutch, Anglo-Saxon, Old Saxon, and Frisian, and a limited one when it means the particular dialects of the Ems, the Weser, and the Elbe. To avoid this the dialects in question
are conveniently called by their continental name of Platt-Deutsch, just as in England we say Broad Scotch.
[§ 40]. The most characteristic difference between the Saxon and Icelandic (indeed between the Teutonic and Scandinavian tongues) lies in the peculiar position of the definite article in the latter. In Saxon, the article corresponding with the modern word the, is þæt, se, seó, for the neuter, masculine, and feminine genders respectively; and these words, regularly declined, are prefixed to the words with which they agree, just as is the case with the English and with the majority of languages. In Icelandic, however, the article instead of preceding, follows its noun, with which it coalesces, having previously suffered a change in form. The Icelandic article corresponding to þæt, se, seó, is hitt, hinn, hin: from this the h is ejected, so that, instead of the regular inflection (a), we have the forms (b).
| a. | |||
| Neut. | Masc. | Fem. | |
| Sing. Nom. | Hitt | Hinn | Hin. |
| Acc. | Hitt | Hinn | Hina. |
| Dat. | Hinu | Hinum | Hinni. |
| Gen. | Hins | Hins | Hinnar. |
| Plur. Nom. | Hin | Hinir | Hinar. |
| Acc. | Hin | Hina | Hinar. |
| Dat. | Hinum | Hinum | Hinum. |
| Gen. | Hinna | Hinna | Hinna. |
b. | |||
| Sing. Nom. | -it | -inn | -in. |
| Acc. | -it | -inn | -ina (-na). |
| Dat. | -nu | -num | -inni (-nni). |
| Gen. | -ins | -ins | -innar (-nnar). |
| Plur. Nom. | -in | -nir | -nar. |
| Acc. | -in | -na | -nar. |
| Dat. | -num | -num | -num. |
| Gen. | -nna | -nna | -nna. |