Mócheno language

Mócheno is an Upper German Dialect spoken in three towns of the Fersina Valley (German: Fersental, Italian: Valle del Fersina), in Trentino-South Tyrol, northeastern Italy.

Mócheno is related to Austro-Bavarian and is variously classified either as a Southern Bavarian Dialect or a separate language of its own. Mócheno speakers reportedly partially understand Bavarian, Cimbrian, or Standard German, which argues for classifying it as a dialect. However, many essential differences in grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation, render it practically unintelligible for speakers of German or Austro-Bavarian, so it may be more justified to consider it a separate language.

As of 1992 Mócheno was spoken by 1,900 speakers, including 400 in Fierozzo (Florutz), 1,000 in Palů (Palai), and 460 in Frassilongo (Gereut).