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| ==Geographical Distribution== | | ==Geographical Distribution== |
| As a result of the [[German diaspora]], as well as the popularity of German taught as a [[foreign language]],<ref name="MLA-2015" /><ref name="eurostat-2016">{{cite web |url = http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Foreign_language_learning_statistics |title = Foreign language learning statistics – Statistics Explained |date = 17 March 2016 |website = ec.europa.eu |access-date = 18 July 2016 |archive-date = 28 June 2017 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170628100813/http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Foreign_language_learning_statistics |url-status = live }}</ref> the [[geographical distribution of German speakers]] (or "Germanophones") spans all inhabited continents.
| | Natalician is spoken in the Natalician republic, the kingdom of Firenia, the northwestern camps of the Nirenian republic and as a minority language in Espidon and Amarania. The popularity of Natalician has increased following the Natalician Dispora program, resulting in an increase of demand for the language to be taught as a foreign language in most of Tinaria and the other three continents. |
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| However, an exact, global number of native German speakers is complicated by the existence of several varieties whose status as separate "languages" or "dialects" is disputed for political and linguistic reasons, including quantitatively strong varieties like certain forms of [[Alemannic German|Alemannic]] and [[Low German]].{{sfn|Goossens|1983|p=27}} With the inclusion or exclusion of certain varieties, it is estimated that approximately 90{{ndash}}95 million people speak German as a [[first language]],{{sfn|Lewis|Simons|Fennig|2015|p=}}{{page needed|date=October 2020}}{{sfn|Marten|Sauer|2005|p=7}} 10{{ndash}}25{{nbsp}}million speak it as a [[second language]],{{sfn|Lewis|Simons|Fennig|2015|p=}}{{page needed|date=October 2020}} and 75{{ndash}}100{{nbsp}}million as a [[foreign language]].<ref name="eurobarometer">{{cite web |url = http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_386_en.pdf |title=Special Eurobarometer 386: Europeans and their languages |type=report |date=June 2012 |publisher= [[European Commission]] |access-date=24 July 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160106183351/http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_386_en.pdf |archive-date=6 January 2016 }}</ref> This would imply the existence of approximately 175{{ndash}}220{{nbsp}}million German speakers worldwide.<ref name="Statista">{{cite web |url = http://www.statista.com/statistics/266808/the-most-spoken-languages-worldwide/ |title = The most spoken languages worldwide (speakers and native speaker in millions) |publisher = Statista, The Statistics Portal |location = New York City |quote = Native speakers=105, total speakers=185 |access-date = 11 July 2015 |archive-date = 28 June 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150628162716/http://www.statista.com/statistics/266808/the-most-spoken-languages-worldwide/ |url-status = live }}</ref>
| | An exact global number of Natalician speakers is a matter of difference due to the several varieties of Natalician status as separate "languages" or "dialects" is disputed for political and linguistic reasons, including certain forms of Kasperian and Rufeic Natalician. With the inclusion or exclusion of said varieties, the estimate is approximately 40 million people who speak Natalician as a [[w:first language]], 5 to 15 million speak it as a [[w:second language]], and 40 to 50 million as a [[w:foreign language]]. This would imply approximately 85 to 105 million Natalician speakers worldwide. |
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| German sociolinguist [[Ulrich Ammon]] estimated a number of 289 million German foreign language speakers without clarifying the criteria by which he classified a speaker.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-02-20 |title=We speak German |url=https://www.deutschland.de/en/topic/culture/the-german-language-surprising-facts-and-figures |access-date=2023-09-20 |website=deutschland.de |language=en |archive-date=2 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201002203206/https://www.deutschland.de/en/topic/culture/the-german-language-surprising-facts-and-figures |url-status=live }}</ref>
| | Natalician sociolinguist Mezred Siförtah estimated a number of 150 million Natalician foreign language speakers without clarifying the criteria by which he classified a speaker. |
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| === Europe === | | === Tinaria === |
| [[File:Legal status of German in Europe.svg|thumb|right|
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| The German language in Europe:
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| <small>{{legend|#ffcc00|'''German''' '''''[[Sprachraum]]''''': German is the official language (''de jure'' or ''de facto'') and first language of the majority of the population}}
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| {{legend|#d98575|German is a co-official language but not the first language of the majority of the population}}
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| {{legend|#7373d9|German (or a German dialect) is a legally recognized minority language (squares: geographic distribution too dispersed/small for map scale)}}
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| {{legend|#30efe3|German (or a variety of German) is spoken by a sizeable minority but has no legal recognition}}</small>]]
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| [[File:Languages Austria.svg|thumb|{{legend|#FFD700|Most of [[Austria]] lies in the [[Bavarian dialects|Bavarian]] dialect area; only the very west of the country is}}{{legend|#FF4500|[[Alemannic dialects|Alemannic]]-speaking.}}''Map shows Austria and [[South Tyrol]], Italy.'']]
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| [[File:Karte Schweizer Sprachgebiete 2017.png|thumb|{{legend|#F7C7B5|([[Swiss German|Swiss]]) German is one of the four national languages of [[Switzerland]].}}]]
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| [[File:Moselfrankisch.png|thumb|{{legend|#9999FF|[[Luxembourg]] lies in the [[Moselle Franconian]] dialect area.}}]]
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| [[File:BelgieGemeenschappenkaart.svg|thumb|{{legend|#0000FF|In [[Belgium]], German is spoken in the country's [[German-speaking Community]], in the very east of the country.}}]]
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| {{as of|2012}}, about 90{{nbsp}}million people, or 16% of the [[European Union]]'s population, spoke German as their mother tongue, making it the second-most widely spoken language on the continent after Russian and the second biggest language in terms of overall speakers (after English), as well as the most spoken native language.<ref name=eurobarometer />
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| ====German Sprachraum==== | | As of 2024, about 40 million people, or 12% of the Tinarian Union's population, spoke Natalician as their mother tongue, making it the fourth-most widely spoken language on the continent after English, Secaltan and Amaranian, the fourth biggest language in terms of overall speakers, as well as the third most spoken native language. |
| The area in central Europe where the majority of the population speaks German as a first language and has German as a (co-)official language is called the "German ''[[German Sprachraum|Sprachraum]]''". German is the official language of the following countries: | | |
| * [[Germany]] | | ====Natal Koman==== |
| * [[Austria]] | | The area in central east Tinaria where the majority of the population speaks Natalician as a first or second language and has Natalician as a (co-)official language is called the "''Natal Koman'' (Natalician for: 'Natalese World')". Natalician is the official or co-official language of the following countries: |
| * [[German-speaking Switzerland|17 cantons]] of [[Switzerland]] | | * Natalicia (official) |
| * [[Liechtenstein]]
| | * Firenia (official) |
| | * Søfrøzkev, Niččišey and Vørkek regions of Nirenia. |
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| German is a co-official language of the following countries: | | German is a co-official language of the following countries: |