Gottscheerisch
Ridgewood +2ottscheerisch is a Germanic language variety that developed in the area of Gottschee in what is now Slovenia during a period of over seven centuries. Most speakers left the region amid the upheaval of the Second World War, and the language in Gottschee itself is now all but lost, following emigration to Germany, Austria, and the United States, particularly the Ridgewood area of Queens. One estimate places the population of Gottscheers and their descendants in the New York area as high as 18,000, though only a small number of older people still know the language to some extent. Though many Gottscheers have moved beyond Ridgewood elsewhere in Queens, Long Island, and beyond, Gottscheer Hall is a community center, restaurant, and bar all in one. An active community infrastructure includes choral concerts, Miss Gottschee competitions, the Blau Weiss soccer team, and the Gottscheer Relief Association, among other institutions.