Luxembourgeois

Print

A language of Luxembourg

ISO 639-3
ltz
Alternate Names
Frankish, Letzburgisch, Lëtzebuergesch, Luxembourgish, Luxemburgian, Luxemburgish, Moselle Franconian
Population

250,000 in Luxembourg (1998). Population total all countries: 320,710.

Location

Also in Belgium, France, Germany, United States.

Language Maps
Language Status

4 (Educational). Statutory language of national identity (1984, Language Law of 24 February, Article 1).

Classification
Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, German, Middle German, West Middle German, Moselle Franconian
Dialects

As distinct from Standard German [deu] as is Dutch [nld] (Stephens 1976); not inherently intelligible with it. A Moselle variety of Frankish-German origin, related to varieties of Mitteldeutsch of Belgium.

Typology

SVO; prepositions; genitives, articles, adjectives, numerals, relatives before noun heads; question word initial; 3 prefixes, 2 suffixes on a word; rigid word order; passives; nontonal

Language Use

Vigorous. The language of creativity for most. Modest amounts of literature. Perhaps 50,000 L2 speakers. All domains. All ages. Positive attitudes. West and Central varieties considered more sophisticated; North more rural, peasant-like. Variety used by older Belgian-border inhabitants considered old fashioned and riddled with French [fra] words, but perfectly intelligible. German [deu] considered a foreign language, not used with others who speak Luxembourgeois. Also use English [eng], French [fra], or German [deu].

Language Development
Literacy rate in L2: 99% German, French. Written Luxembourgeois taught in schools. Letters often written in it. Newspapers. Radio programs. TV. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible portions: 2000.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Luxembourgeois
Writing
Latin script.
Other Comments

Christian.

Also spoken in:

Expand All Collapse All