Luxembourgish: The language of one of the smallest countries in the world
10 facts about the Luxembourgish language
Luxembourgish is a West Germanic language used mostly in Luxembourg.
Luxembourgish is spoken by about 600,000 people globally.
The Luxembourg language is similar to some dialects of the High German language.
It is the national language of Luxembourg and, along with French and German, is one of three official languages of the country.
Luxembourgish is spoken by 50.9 % of Luxembourg's population.
Luxembourgish is also used throughout Belgium's Arelerland area and in minor regions of Lorraine in France.
A few generations of Luxembourgers in the United States and Canada also speak the language.
A few other dialects of the Luxembourgish language exist, such as Areler (from Arlon), Echternacher (Echternach), and Kliärrwer (Clervaux).
The Luxembourg parliamentarian debates are mostly performed in Luxembourgish; however, some lawmakers choose to speak in French.
For Germans who are unfamiliar with the Moselle Franconian dialect speaking Luxembourgish might be difficult to understand.
Origin of the language
It most likely originated along the Moselle river in Rhineland.
History of the language
It is believed that Luxembourgish originated in 750 BC.
Learning the language
An English speaker may need 50 hours to learn Luxembourgish.
Luxembourgish language for beginners
Ten basic words to start learning in Luxembourgish:
Happy: kuntenti
Hello: Bongu
Thank you: Grazzi
Care: kura
Flower: fjura
Pretty: pjuttost
Girl: tifla
Father: missier
Mother: omm
Boy: tifel
Quotes
What description of clouds and sunsets was to the old novelist, description of scientific apparatus and methods is to the modern Scientific Detective writer.
Hugo Gernsbacher
Inventor and Writer
Forgetting the importance of national landscapes, cultures, national behaviors, reactions, and reflexes is a big, big mistake.
Jean-Claude Juncker
Politician
Love for your work, love for another person, love for yourself - love is a huge pond, and it's never empty. You can go and take from it, and it will give you strength.
Vicky Krieps
Actor
Fun facts about the Luxembourgish language
French influence
Many French terms and phrases have been added to Luxembourgish.
Used for speaking purposes
In the past, the Luxembourgish language was merely used for the purpose of verbal communication.
The “N” rule
In some instances, Luxembourgish has a principle of n-deletion in words in certain contexts.
Gender forms
There are three genders in the Luxembourg language; male, female, and neuter. Moreover, there are three cases: nominative, accusative, and dative.
Adjective
There are two types of adjectives in Luxembourgish with morphological characteristics: attributive and predicative.
Grammatical rule
In statements, Luxembourgish follows the "verb-second" grammar rules.
Neologism
In Luxembourg, neologisms refer to both totally new terms and the addition of new meanings to existing words used in common conversation.
New spelling system
In 1946, a phonetician named Jean Feltes created a new spelling system called Lzebuurjer Ortografi, but it was never widely used.
Role in academics
In Luxembourg, Luxembourgish is taught in pre-school education whereas the major language of academics is German, and the secondary language is French.
Similarities with German
Similar to German, Luxembourgish, like other dialects of conversational German, blends definite articles with nouns.
