Luxembourg's linguistic situation can be defined, albeit rather simplistically, by the fact that several different languages are used simultaneously in several different forums and media, whether it is written or oral, judicial or educational, radio or television. Names of shops and streets, menus and such appear primarily in French (with some Luxembourgish added underneath in recent years), whereas much of the media is printed and broadcast in German, although French is also apparent here in cultural articles and social announcements. Instead of what can be considered to be a linguistic norm for a nation, where one country speaks one language, the Grand Duchy represents a vast area of multilingualism, however this is also hugely different to many other countries who speak several languages, the main disparity being that in the majority of these countries, the different languages are reserved to specific geographical regions or are considered as a dialect, rather than an official language. Luxembourg breaks away from this convention by overlapping its inherent trilingualism in a manner which can almost be said to be that of a hierarchy.
With regard to communication, one language is spoken throughout the country: Luxembourgish. It represents a significant symbol of Luxembourgish identity and is the everyday language of choice for speaking. The language is of a Germanic descent, however it has sufficiently evolved and transformed over time to become suitably distanced from its parent tongues and to be considered a different language, and as such it is no longer readily understood by native Germans. The language itself has enough changes in syntax, vocabulary and turns of phrase to distinguish itself as separate from German, although a German speaker might understand some words and some constructions. Where French is concerned, the opposite issue is true, i.e. that a speaker of French might understand better certain turns of phrase if the vocabulary is readily available to them. In this way it can be somewhat true to say that Luxembourgish is French spoken in German
Having several languages in one's arsenal at any one time is extremely beneficial, but there are also drawbacks, especially when it comes to the Luxembourgish language and actually creating it on paper. A Luxembourgish writer is sadly almost certainly fated to suffer literary sterilization when attempting to physically write in Luxembourgish. This has lead to a flourishing lyrical poetry and theatre scene conducted in Luxembourgish, being that they are primarily prime areas for oral communication and critique. Certainly, Luxembourgish writers who write in German give a certain local flavour to their work by using a language known to all native Luxembourgers but which still retains typical Luxembourgisms. Writers who write in German also have the advantage of using a language which is closer to their mother tongue than French is. In this respect, writers in Luxembourg who choose to use French as the main language in their works are regarded somewhat less favourably. These writers face the problem of writing in what is essentially a completely foreign language to them and their readers, as it is further distanced from the other two official languages in the country. In addition this completely foreign language has been nurtured and cultivated in a Germanic territory. The writers who use French would perhaps be more ideally suited to the title of critic or essayist, where these two terms hold equally high esteem in both Franco and Germanic realms.
Luxembourgish is currently in a state of flux. The sentiments of Luxembourgers range from pride in the face of oppression during the Second World War, to modern-day quasi-nationalistic resolution, to basic joy that they have Luxembourgish at their disposal. Language laws have been passed, although they served only to make official what the citizens already felt - that Luxembourgish was (and is) a language of great importance to them, that it represents a significant portion of their national and social (given the transparent European borders that we see nowadays) identity. Luxembourgers are very much in control of their language and the ideology that has been linked to it through years of historical, legal and economic multiculturalism. It is not that the Luxembourgish language represents a precursor for total cultural assimilation in the country, but rather that it is a part of who they are as a country, as a nation, and as a people.
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