Introduction

• To study the development of Mennonite Plautdietsch, it is first necessary to consider both the linguistic and historical-cultural conditions which allowed it to emerge as a distinct variety of Low German

• • Opportunity to clarify the relationship of Plautdietsch to other Germanic languages, and to explain where the name “Low German” comes from
  • Begin by considering the “prehistory” of Mennonite Low German and its status as an Indo-European language