The Sittard dialect ({{langx|nl|Sittards}}, {{langx|li|Zittesj}}, {{langx|de|Selfkanter Platt}}, in reference to the variety used in Germany) is a Limburgish dialect spoken mainly in the Dutch city of Sittard. It is also spoken in Koningsbosch and in a small part of Germany (Selfkant), but quickly becoming extinct there. Of all other important Limburgish dialects, the dialect of Sittard is most closely related to that of {{ill|Roermond|nl|Roermonds}}.

Characteristics

The Sittard dialect belongs to {{ill|East Limburgish|nl|Oost-Limburgs}}, which means it has a postalveolar consonant at the onset of words beginning with clusters such as sl and st, in contrast with other variants of Limburgish such as Maastrichtian and in Dutch.

The most important characteristic which distinguishes the dialect of Sittard from adjacent Limburgish dialects is the so-called Sittard diphthongization, i.e. the replacement of the close-mid monophthongs {{IPA|/eː/}}, {{IPA|/øː/}} and {{IPA|/oː/}} with the wide diphthongs {{IPA|/ɛj/}}, {{IPA|/œj/}} and {{IPA|/ɔw/}} in some words such as neit {{IPA|/ˈnɛjt/}} ("not", originally neet {{IPA|/ˈneːt/}}), zuike {{IPA|/ˈzœjkə/}} ("to search", originally zeuke {{IPA|/ˈzøːkə/}}) and bloud {{IPA|/ˈblɔwt/}} ("blood", originally blood {{IPA|/ˈbloːt/}}). It resembles the Polder Dutch phenomenon in Standard Dutch, though it is extended to the environment before {{IPA|/ʀ/}} (where an epenthetic schwa is inserted before the consonant), as in beier {{IPA|/ˈbɛjəʀ/}} ("beer"). This phenomenon was first examined thoroughly in the first half of the 1940s by Willy Dols, who showed that this Sittard diphthongization typically occurred in syllables with a push tone. New research at the beginning of the 21st century has shown that the diphthongization once served to emphasize the difference in vowel length which distinguishes syllables with a push tone from those with a dragging tone.{{Cite web | url=http://www.let.ru.nl/gep/carlos/dols43.pdf | title=Unknown}}{{Dead link | date=December 2024 | fix-attempted=yes}}[https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:to2_2VwDsyQJ:www.let.ru.nl/gep/carlos/dols43.pdf+over+het+waarom+van+de+sittardse&hl=nl&gl=nl&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESiOV3MTy_q5cGmT-wwKALe2b0qpGlUt3pnW7Gio-7vu_jcsF-V7Ym5emiU3C4GLpqSHjbj2JvQVJNeNAYe5YY5vJRRbqlbpmRDpPYhWUKuO6I4N_40YWBWNeVl7GPagRT1Yi9G-&sig=AHIEtbQ4Do4xZ_O_YoJACguzlXVxHpDCGQ Carlos Gussenhoven Over het waarom van de Sittardse diftongering Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen in Dutch]{{Cite web|last=Stichting|first=Willy Dols|title=De Sittardse Diftongering {{!}} Willy Dols Stichting|url=https://www.willydolsstichting.nl/de-sittardse-diftongering/|access-date=2021-05-11|language=nl}}

Phonology

=Vowels=

class="wikitable" style="margin:aut" \|+Vowel phonemes{{Cite web\|last=Stichting\|first=Willy Dols\|title=Gebruikte tekens in het Sittards {{!}} Willy Dols Stichting\|url=https://www.willydolsstichting.nl/spelling-van-het-sittards/gebruikte-tekens-in-het-sittards/\|access-date=2021-05-11\|language=nl}}{{Cite web\|last=Stichting\|first=Willy Dols\|title=On-Nederlandse klinkers {{!}} Willy Dols Stichting\|url=https://www.willydolsstichting.nl/spelling-van-het-sittards/on-nederlandse-klinkers/\|access-date=2021-05-11\|language=nl}}{{citation\|last=Schelberg\|first=P.J.G.\|title=Woordenboek van het Sittards Dialect\|edition=3rd\|publisher=Amsterdamer Publikationen zur Sprache und Literatur\|date=1986\|orig-year=1979\|url=http://ewnd.ivdnt.org/pdf/1986_Schelberg_WoordenboekSittardsDialect_(SVNT)_ws.pdf}} ! rowspan="3" \| ! colspan="4" \| Front ! colspan="2" rowspan="2" \| Central ! colspan="2" rowspan="2" \| Back
colspan="2" \| {{small\|unrounded}} ! colspan="2" \| {{small\|rounded}}
{{small\|short}} ! {{small\|long}} ! {{small\|short}} ! {{small\|long}} ! {{small\|short}} ! {{small\|long}} ! {{small\|short}} ! {{small\|long}}
align="center" ! Close \| \| {{IPA link\|iː}} {{angbr\|ie}} \| \| {{IPA link\|yː}} {{angbr\|uu}} \| \| \| \| {{IPA link\|uː}} {{angbr\|oe}}
align="center" ! Close-mid \| {{IPA link\|ɪ\|e}} {{angbr\|i}} \| {{IPA link\|eː}} {{angbr\|ee}} \| {{IPA link\|ø}} {{angbr\|u}} \| {{IPA link\|øː}} {{angbr\|eu}} \| rowspan="2" \| {{IPA link\|ə}} {{angbr\|e}} \| \| {{IPA link\|o}} {{angbr\|ó}} \| {{IPA link\|oː}} {{angbr\|oo}}
align=center ! Open-mid \| {{IPA link\|ɛ̝\|ɛ}} {{angbr\|è}} \| {{IPA link\|ɛː}} {{angbr\|ae}} \| {{IPA link\|œ}} {{angbr\|ö}} \| {{IPA link\|œː}} {{angbr\|äö}} \| \| {{IPA link\|ɔ}} {{angbr\|o}} \| {{IPA link\|ɔː}} {{angbr\|ao}}
align="center" ! Open \| {{IPA link\|æ}} {{angbr\|e}} \| \| \| \| \| {{IPA link\|ä\|aː}} {{angbr\|aa}} \| {{IPA link\|ɑ}} {{angbr\|a}} \|
align="center" ! Diphthongs \| colspan="8" \| {{IPA\|ɛj}} {{angbr\|ei/ij}} {{IPA\|œj}} {{angbr\|ui}} {{IPA\|ɔw}} {{angbr\|au/ou}} {{IPA\|aj}} {{angbr\|ai}} {{IPA\|aw}} {{angbr\|aw}}

class="wikitable" style="margin:aut"

|+Vowel phonemes{{Cite web|last=Stichting|first=Willy Dols|title=Gebruikte tekens in het Sittards {{!}} Willy Dols Stichting|url=https://www.willydolsstichting.nl/spelling-van-het-sittards/gebruikte-tekens-in-het-sittards/|access-date=2021-05-11|language=nl}}{{Cite web|last=Stichting|first=Willy Dols|title=On-Nederlandse klinkers {{!}} Willy Dols Stichting|url=https://www.willydolsstichting.nl/spelling-van-het-sittards/on-nederlandse-klinkers/|access-date=2021-05-11|language=nl}}{{citation|last=Schelberg|first=P.J.G.|title=Woordenboek van het Sittards Dialect|edition=3rd|publisher=Amsterdamer Publikationen zur Sprache und Literatur|date=1986|orig-year=1979|url=http://ewnd.ivdnt.org/pdf/1986_Schelberg_WoordenboekSittardsDialect_(SVNT)_ws.pdf}}

! rowspan="3" |

! colspan="4" | Front

! colspan="2" rowspan="2" | Central

! colspan="2" rowspan="2" | Back

colspan="2" | {{small|unrounded}}

! colspan="2" | {{small|rounded}}

! {{small|long}}

! {{small|short}}

! {{small|long}}

! {{small|short}}

! {{small|long}}

! {{small|short}}

! {{small|long}}

align="center"

! Close

| {{IPA link|iː}} {{angbr|ie}}

| {{IPA link|yː}} {{angbr|uu}}

| {{IPA link|uː}} {{angbr|oe}}

align="center"

! Close-mid

| {{IPA link|ɪ|e}} {{angbr|i}}

| {{IPA link|eː}} {{angbr|ee}}

| {{IPA link|ø}} {{angbr|u}}

| {{IPA link|øː}} {{angbr|eu}}

| rowspan="2" | {{IPA link|ə}} {{angbr|e}}

| {{IPA link|o}} {{angbr|ó}}

| {{IPA link|oː}} {{angbr|oo}}

align=center

! Open-mid

| {{IPA link|ɛ̝|ɛ}} {{angbr|è}}

| {{IPA link|ɛː}} {{angbr|ae}}

| {{IPA link|œ}} {{angbr|ö}}

| {{IPA link|œː}} {{angbr|äö}}

| {{IPA link|ɔ}} {{angbr|o}}

| {{IPA link|ɔː}} {{angbr|ao}}

align="center"

! Open

| {{IPA link|æ}} {{angbr|e}}

| {{IPA link|ä|aː}} {{angbr|aa}}

| {{IPA link|ɑ}} {{angbr|a}}

align="center"

! Diphthongs

| colspan="8" | {{IPA|ɛj}} {{angbr|ei/ij}} {{IPA|œj}} {{angbr|ui}} {{IPA|ɔw}} {{angbr|au/ou}} {{IPA|aj}} {{angbr|ai}} {{IPA|aw}} {{angbr|aw}}

{{IPA|/ə/}} is restricted to unstressed syllables.

=Consonants=

class="wikitable" style=text-align:center \|+Consonant phonemes ! colspan="2" \| ! Labial ! Alveolar ! Postalveolar ! Dorsal ! Glottal
colspan="2" \| Nasal \| {{IPA link\|m}} {{angbr\|m}} \| {{IPA link\|n}} {{angbr\|n}} \| {{IPA link\|ɲ}} {{angbr\|nj}} \| {{IPA link\|ŋ}} {{angbr\|ng}} \|
rowspan="2" \| Plosive / affricate ! {{small\|voiceless}} \| {{IPA link\|p}} {{angbr\|p}} \| {{IPA link\|t}} {{angbr\|t}} \| {{IPA link\|tʃ}} {{angbr\|tj}} \| {{IPA link\|k}} {{angbr\|k}} \|
{{small\|voiced}} \| {{IPA link\|b}} {{angbr\|b}} \| {{IPA link\|d}} {{angbr\|d}} \| {{IPA link\|dʒ}} {{angbr\|dj}} \| {{IPA link\|ɡ}} {{angbr\|gk}} \|
rowspan="2" \| Fricative ! {{small\|voiceless}} \| {{IPA link\|f}} {{angbr\|f}} \| {{IPA link\|s}} {{angbr\|s}} \| {{IPA link\|ʃ}} {{angbr\|sj}} \| {{IPA link\|x}} {{angbr\|ch}} \|
{{small\|voiced}} \| {{IPA link\|v}} {{angbr\|v}} \| {{IPA link\|z}} {{angbr\|z}} \| {{IPA link\|ʒ}} {{angbr\|zj}} \| {{IPA link\|ɣ}} {{angbr\|g}} \| {{IPA link\|ɦ}} {{angbr\|h}}
colspan="2" \| Liquid \| \| {{IPA link\|l}} {{angbr\|l}} \| {{IPA link\|ʎ}} {{angbr\|lj}} \| {{IPA link\|ʀ}} {{angbr\|r}} \|
colspan="2" \| Approximant \| {{IPA link\|β̞\|w}} {{angbr\|w}} \| \| \| {{IPA link\|j}} {{angbr\|j}} \|

class="wikitable" style=text-align:center

|+Consonant phonemes

! colspan="2" |

! Labial

! Alveolar

! Postalveolar

! Dorsal

! Glottal

colspan="2" | Nasal

| {{IPA link|m}} {{angbr|m}}

| {{IPA link|n}} {{angbr|n}}

| {{IPA link|ɲ}} {{angbr|nj}}

| {{IPA link|ŋ}} {{angbr|ng}}

rowspan="2" | Plosive /
affricate

! {{small|voiceless}}

| {{IPA link|p}} {{angbr|p}}

| {{IPA link|t}} {{angbr|t}}

| {{IPA link|tʃ}} {{angbr|tj}}

| {{IPA link|k}} {{angbr|k}}

| {{IPA link|b}} {{angbr|b}}

| {{IPA link|d}} {{angbr|d}}

| {{IPA link|dʒ}} {{angbr|dj}}

| {{IPA link|ɡ}} {{angbr|gk}}

rowspan="2" | Fricative

! {{small|voiceless}}

| {{IPA link|f}} {{angbr|f}}

| {{IPA link|s}} {{angbr|s}}

| {{IPA link|ʃ}} {{angbr|sj}}

| {{IPA link|x}} {{angbr|ch}}

| {{IPA link|v}} {{angbr|v}}

| {{IPA link|z}} {{angbr|z}}

| {{IPA link|ʒ}} {{angbr|zj}}

| {{IPA link|ɣ}} {{angbr|g}}

| {{IPA link|ɦ}} {{angbr|h}}

colspan="2" | Liquid

| {{IPA link|l}} {{angbr|l}}

| {{IPA link|ʎ}} {{angbr|lj}}

| {{IPA link|ʀ}} {{angbr|r}}

colspan="2" | Approximant

| {{IPA link|β̞|w}} {{angbr|w}}

| {{IPA link|j}} {{angbr|j}}

=Pitch accent=

As many other Limburgish dialects, the Sittard dialect features a contrastive pitch accent, with minimal pairs such as goud {{IPA|/ˈɣɔwt/}} 'gold' (featuring the push tone) vs. goud {{IPA|/ˈɣɔwt˦/}} 'good' (featuring the dragging tone, transcribed as a high tone). The push tone is realized as a rising-falling contour in the declarative pattern, whereas the dragging tone varies between rising (when the sentence focus falls on the syllable that is non-final) and a shallow rising-falling contour when the syllable is sentence-final. The distinction between the two tones is neutralized outside of the sentence focus. In interrogative sentences, the distinction is always made.{{Cite web|last=Stichting|first=Willy Dols|title=Typische spellingsproblemen 3 {{!}} Willy Dols Stichting|url=https://www.willydolsstichting.nl/spelling-van-het-sittards/typische-spellingsproblemen-3/|access-date=2021-05-11|language=nl}}{{Harvcoltxt|Hanssen|2005}}, cited in {{Harvcoltxt|Bodelier|2011|p=9}}