Dear Carolyn:

That Southern German is called High German by linguists has already  been
pointed out by "Hans" Rea.  As for the etymology of German Ungeziefer: The word  does not
mean "uncountables" and has nothing to do with German Ziffer  "digit".  Its
meaning is "unclean animal" and its etymology is  unclear.  This is what the latest
edition of the German etymological  dictionary by Kluge has to say:

Ungeziefer

Ungeziefer Substantiv Neutrum Standardwortschatz (15. Jh.) Stammwort.  Fnhd.
ungezibere, auch ungezibele "unreines Tier", vielleicht "nicht zum Opfer 
geeignetes Tier" zu ahd. zebar, ae. tiber, anord. tívurr m. vielleicht "Opfer". 
Herkunft unklar. Nach Hamp als ig. *(a)ti-bher- zu g. *ber-a- "tragen"
(gebären)  in der Sonderbedeutung "opfern". gebären, Ziefer.

Up to a point I do enjoy all that brainstorming that passes nowadays as
NABOKV-L, but time and again I wish participants in that  brainstorming would post 
fewer contributions and instead do some research before confronting the
sorely tested public of this list with their  jeux d'esprit.

Best,

Manfred Voss