RSS |
The majority of the 400,000 people in Luxembourg speak in Luxembourgish or Lëtzebuergesch. The lingo is a blend of old German and French elements and is widely used for oral communication. It serves as the symbol of the Luxembourgers’ national identity. |
Although of Germanic origin around the 4th Century), 'Lëtzebuergesch' has sufficiently differentiated itself from its parent language.
According to the 1984 Language Act, the official language of the civil service, law and parliament is French while French, German as well as Luxembourgish can be used for administrative or judicial purposes.
German is the primary language of the press. Newspapers printed in the Grand Duchy are mostly in German, but some cultural articles, majority of advertisements and social announcements are in French.
Names of streets, shops, travel tickets, hotel registries and menus are mostly in French. However, names of some of the streets and places are also mentioned in Lëtzebuergesch. French and German are taught in the schools, with German spoken mainly at the primary level and French at the secondary level.
So the linguistic situation in Luxembourg is characterised by the fact that several languages are spoken and written at the same time in the same place. In other countries too, several languages are spoken, but they almost always are limited to specific regions, to the exclusion of other tongues. In Luxembourg, the various languages are superimposed in an almost hierarchical manner.
KEY PHRASES
Jo- Yes Neen-No
Wëllkomm!-Welcome! Moiën-Hello.
Äddi-Goodbye. Merci-Thank you.
Et freet mëch, lech kennen ze léieren.
Pleased to meet you.
Ech heesche ...
My name is ...
Schwätzt Du Englesch?
Do you speak English?
