@Roland The (High)German language split off from other Germanic languages around the 7th century, in a region mostly south of the Roman Limes, far from the sea. Though Charlemagne subjugated the Saxons (since renamed Low-Saxons) and Angles, outside of aristocracy (High)German only started encroaching on the northern Low-German about 150 years ago. Even when North-Germans speak German, they retain some influence of Low-German such as "hohe See" (high seas), "seetüchtig" (seaworthy), "seekrank" (sea sick) or "Seemann/Seefahrer/zur See fahrn" (sailor), rather than the Latin-German "Meer-"…