Variation in German

German is arguably the most variable language in Europe, and this article tackles that variation by comparing the most divergent characteristics of the formal standard language and traditional dialects, leading naturally to an account of the most salient characteristics of the dominant speech forms of the contemporary German-speaking countries—varieties of colloquial language. This article also examines the patterns of variation found in the German-speaking states of Europe, relating these patterns to the role that language plays in forming the identities of these countries.