- Multilingualism in Luxembourg
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Multilingualism is a part of everyday life for the population of Luxembourg.
The use of languages for legal and administrative purposes is regulated by a law promulgated in 1984, including the following provisions:[1]
“ Article 1: The national language of the Luxembourgers is Luxembourgish.
Article 2: The laws are in French.
Article 3: The language of the government: Luxembourgish, German and French can be used.
Article 4: Administrative questions: If a citizen asks a question in Luxembourgish, German or French, the administration must reply, as far as possible, in the language in which the question was asked.” In many other multilingual countries, such as Belgium, Switzerland or Canada, the distribution of the languages is geographic, but in Luxembourg it is functional—that is, the choice of language depends on the situation.
At school, all students are taught in all three official languages, although divided by age group and subject matter. At primary school, the course is in German and explanations are often given in Luxembourgish. At secondary school, it depends on what level the students are in. In the more difficult level, until the 9th class, every subject is in German, except mathematics. From the 10th to the 13th class, the course is mostly in French, but throughout the whole secondary school, explanations are often given in Luxembourgish. In the easier level, every subject is in German, except mathematics. At the commerce and administrative division, most subjects are in French from the 10th until the 13th class. Explanations are often given in Luxembourgish.
In the Chamber of Deputies, the language used is Luxembourgish, but sometimes also French (e.g., when laws are cited).
In the press, articles are mostly written in German, sometimes also in French. On TV and on the radio, Luxembourgish is mainly used.
Generally, in everyday life, when talking to a foreigner, French is usually used because most foreigners working in Luxembourg do not learn Luxembourgish.
See also
Notes
- ^ (French) Mémorial A no. 16 (27 February 1984), pp. 196–197: "Loi du 24 février 1984 sur le régime des langues".
References
- DICKES, P.; BERGOZA, Guayarmina, Les compétences linguistiques auto-attribuées. Les cahiers du CEPS/INSTEAD, Population & Emploi, cahier 2010-19, Septembre 2010. ISSN 2077-3048.
- FEHLEN, F., BaleineBis : Une enquête sur un marché linguistique multilingue en profonde mutation - Luxemburgs Sprachenmarkt im Wandel. RED N° 12, SESOPI Centre Intercommunautaire, 2009.
- WEBER, J.J. Multilingualism, Education and Change Frankfurt, Peter Lang Verlag, 2009
- HORNER, K. and WEBER, J.J. The language situation in Luxembourg, Current Issues in Language Planning 9,1, 2008, 69-128
- (French) Projet Moien!, Sproochenhaus Wëlwerwoltz (Hg.), Lëtzebuergesch: Quo Vadis? Actes du cycle de conférences, Mamer: Ondine Conseil 2004
- WEBER,N. The universe under the microscope: The complex linguistic situation in Luxembourg, in De Bot, C./Kroon, S./Nelde, P./Vande Velde, H. (eds.), Institutional Status and use of languages in Europe Bonn, Asgard, 2001, 179-184
- MAGÈRE, Ph., ESMEIN, B., POTY, M., La situation de la langue française parmi les autres langues en usage au Grand-Duché de Luxembourg. Luxembourg, Centre culturel français, 1998
- NEWTON, G. (ed.) Luxembourg and Lëtzebuergesch: Language and Communication at the Crossroads of Europe, Oxford, 1996
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