Also known as Low German or Plattdeutsch. A group of dialects spoken traditionally over much of northern Germany and in parts of the Netherlands and southern Denmark, as well as by some immigrant communities elsewhere (mostly North America). It has no standard version.
Essentially, a Germanic dialect spoken in northern Germany and adjoining areas, or by overseas immigrant communitites, should be considered as Low Saxon if it has not undergone the second consonant shift typical of High German, yet is not normally considered as a Dutch, Frisian or Scandinavian dialect. The second consonant shift is responsible for High German forms like "Pfeffer", "Zeit", and "machen", where a Low Saxon dialect would have "P�per", "Tiet", and "maken", or something similar.