Mundart des Ostgebietes

The Mundart des Ostgebiets is a subdialect of Low Prussian, a dialect of Low German. It was spoken around Insterburg (now Chernyakhovsk, Russia), the Memel (Klaipėda, Lithuania), and Tilsit (Sovyetsk, Russia). Many speakers of this subdialect were Prussian Lithuanians. In difference to varieties to the West, it had no vocalization of r. [1] Its alveolar r probably counts among its influences of Lithuanians. [2] There also is influence of Salzburgers.[3] Mundart des Ostgebietes has a greater phonetic affinity to Standard German than Samlandic.[4] Ai of Samlandic is given as ei with long e.[5] Mundart des Ostgebietes had borders to Ostsamländisch, Natangian and Standard German. [6] Lithuanian language was spoken within its area. [7] It has features common with Mundart der Frischen Nehrung und der Danziger Nehrung. [8]