What Book Are You Currently Reading?

[rothaer]

Thank you for the information you provide! I’m happy to learn about Walther von der Vogelweide. But didn’t Luxembourg stand out, since the earliest times, in comparison with other German States, because of the fact that it was a multilingual, multi-ethnic State, a crossroad between Romance and Germanic idioms?

According to this paper Luxembourg (today’s Luxembourg’s area) was a monolingual German speaking country essentially prior to 1843 and the biliguality is a pretty late development, see the visible abstract here:

Spoiler!

Abstract

The sociolinguistic status of the French language in the Grandduchy of Luxembourg has changed over the past two centuries. This former language of prestige spoken only by a small portion of the population in 1839 has now become the lingua franca of Luxembourg’s society and economy. This paper describes how a monolingual German speaking country was first made bilingual by the education act of 1843. Initially imposed by the power-élite, French was accepted as a symbol of national independence and as a shield against the threat of German annexation. It became the language of higher administration and law and in a certain sense it was the virtual national language until the language law of 1984. This law not only declared Luxembourgish as the national language but gave specific functions to the French, German and Luxembourgish languages. Nowadays demographic and economic changes are challenging the historical balance of status between the three languages of the country. The paper emphasises the role of the educational system in creating this balance, especially in defining the superiority of French. It also shows how the reform of language teaching and the strong resistance of French teachers to this re-form is part of the renegotiation of the status of the French language in a nowadays multilingual country.

https://www.degruyter.com/document/d...9420300.37/pdf

Isn’t it very singular?

If we theoretically assume it to be applicable then it would not have been very singular in a German context. You had since the Middle Ages German and Czech intertwined in Bohemia and Moravia, you had German and Polish(/Kashubian) intertwined in Silesia and Westprussia, you had German and Lithuanian intertwined in East Prussia (including Memelland) and in historical Carinthia and Styria you had German and Slovenian intertwined kind of ever since. But I think besides German only Czech also had a status of an administrational language for some periods of time.

I find it really striking that often, when Luxembourgers evoke Luxembourg, they refer to a greater region than the Grand Duchy, including the “lost territories”.

Well, everyone likes particularly the periods of time when he was more important. When you talk to educated Swedes it doesn't take long time till they are into "stormaktstiden" (the great power time period).

Actually, the geographic division between the Walloon province of Luxembourg and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg was not strictly ethnic/linguistic. In fact, there are parts of the current Grand Duchy that were historically Romance/French and there are parts of the current Walloon province of Luxembourg that are truly Germanic, like in Arlon and its region.

The latter (Arlon) I knew but the former not and I’ve not yet seen a map where that was made visible. Can tell where in the current Grand Duchy that was applicable? I've just seen maps like this:

As you mention a disappointment, are you personally disappointed?

Yes.

As you ask about the use of the three official languages in Luxembourg, French is, since the Middle Ages, the language of administration and legislation.

As the linked by me paper than would be totally wrong, do you have any source for that?

Administrative and legislative texts are compulsorily written in French, the only admissible language for them.

Yeah, wtf? An ultimate self-Jean-Claude-isation!

I’d say Luxembourgers are real polyglots and they can easily juggle with Luxembourgish, French and German. Everywhere, in Luxembourg, I’ve always spoken in French and people can always answer to me in French, sometimes with a strong Germanic accent.

What a fate of a once proud and important German country...

French is the language that is the most used at work:

French is in green, Luxembourgish in red, German in yellow, English in blue, Portuguese in purple (about 20% of the population is Portuguese ).

At home, Luxembourgish is the most used language:

For social interactions, it is Luxembourgish that comes first, followed by French:

The figures can be found here:

https://www.lefigaro.fr/langue-franc...luxembourg.php

There is a wide press offer in the three official languages, in the bookshops, you can also find books in the three languages, but I’d say there is much more choice in French or in German. The advertisements, are often in Luxembourgish.

Very interesting data, thanks!

[Jana]

got it today. great read

[Laly]

According to this paper Luxembourg (today’s Luxembourg’s area) was a monolingual German speaking country essentially prior to 1843 and the biliguality is a pretty late development, see the visible abstract here:

Spoiler!

Abstract

The sociolinguistic status of the French language in the Grandduchy of Luxembourg has changed over the past two centuries. This former language of prestige spoken only by a small portion of the population in 1839 has now become the lingua franca of Luxembourg’s society and economy. This paper describes how a monolingual German speaking country was first made bilingual by the education act of 1843. Initially imposed by the power-élite, French was accepted as a symbol of national independence and as a shield against the threat of German annexation. It became the language of higher administration and law and in a certain sense it was the virtual national language until the language law of 1984. This law not only declared Luxembourgish as the national language but gave specific functions to the French, German and Luxembourgish languages. Nowadays demographic and economic changes are challenging the historical balance of status between the three languages of the country. The paper emphasises the role of the educational system in creating this balance, especially in defining the superiority of French. It also shows how the reform of language teaching and the strong resistance of French teachers to this re-form is part of the renegotiation of the status of the French language in a nowadays multilingual country.

https://www.degruyter.com/document/d...9420300.37/pdf



If we theoretically assume it to be applicable then it would not have been very singular in a German context. You had since the Middle Ages German and Czech intertwined in Bohemia and Moravia, you had German and Polish(/Kashubian) intertwined in Silesia and Westprussia, you had German and Lithuanian intertwined in East Prussia (including Memelland) and in historical Carinthia and Styria you had German and Slovenian intertwined kind of ever since. But I think besides German only Czech also had a status of an administrational language for some periods of time.



Well, everyone likes particularly the periods of time when he was more important. When you talk to educated Swedes it doesn't take long time till they are into "stormaktstiden" (the great power time period).



The latter (Arlon) I knew but the former not and I’ve not yet seen a map where that was made visible. Can tell where in the current Grand Duchy that was applicable? I've just seen maps like this:





Yes.



As the linked by me paper than would be totally wrong, do you have any source for that?



Yeah, wtf? An ultimate self-Jean-Claude-isation!



What a fate of a once proud and important German country...



Very interesting data, thanks!

Doncols, Sonlez or Rodange, which are in the current Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, are historically Romance speaking areas. During the whole XIXth century, the people there were still speaking their romance language.

Cf. this article, which can be found in Luxembourgish National Archives:

https://lucyin.walon.org/diccionairaedje/wf/S44.pdf

https://www.a-z.lu/discovery/fulldis..._UNION&lang=fr

Or these articles:

http://w3.restena.lu/cul/Rodange/index.htm

http://w3.restena.lu/cul/ParlersWl/index.htm

In the Middle Ages, the texts, including the administrative and legislative ones, were first written in Latin in Luxembourg. But from the XIIIth century, when Luxembourg was still an earldom, the French language started to impose itself in the texts and it really replaced Latin from the XIVth century. When the Duchy of Luxembourg became a possession of the Dukes of Burgondy, in the XVth century, the status of French in the administration and in the legislation was confirmed.

See pages 9-10 of this article (which can be downloaded in pdf):



or here, on a site from the Luxembourgish government:



https://sip.gouvernement.lu/dam-asse...-ducale-FR.pdf

[Nurzat]

Tyll, by Daniel Kehlmann. medieval. International Booker Prize shortlisted

[rothaer]

Doncols, Sonlez or Rodange, which are in the current Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, are historically Romance speaking areas. During the whole XIXth century, the people there were still speaking their romance language.

Cf. this article, which can be found in Luxembourgish National Archives:

https://lucyin.walon.org/diccionairaedje/wf/S44.pdf

https://www.a-z.lu/discovery/fulldis..._UNION&lang=fr

Or these articles:

http://w3.restena.lu/cul/Rodange/index.htm

http://w3.restena.lu/cul/ParlersWl/index.htm

In the Middle Ages, the texts, including the administrative and legislative ones, were first written in Latin in Luxembourg. But from the XIIIth century, when Luxembourg was still an earldom, the French language started to impose itself in the texts and it really replaced Latin from the XIVth century. When the Duchy of Luxembourg became a possession of the Dukes of Burgondy, in the XVth century, the status of French in the administration and in the legislation was confirmed.

See pages 9-10 of this article (which can be downloaded in pdf):



or here, on a site from the Luxembourgish government:



https://sip.gouvernement.lu/dam-asse...-ducale-FR.pdf

Interesting, thanks for the links!

[Brás Garcia de Mascarenhas]

Das Tripas Coração - Health, Hygiene and Medicine at the Age of Discovery by Sérgio Luís de Carvalho.

[Incal]

[calxpal]

I've started getting into books about animals such as Marley and Me, and also a guidebook on cats I got from the library! I've also been rereading this comic called Johnny the Homicidal Maniac and I've been reading a Little Mermaid novel book too.

[happycow]

book of mormon

[Incal]

Due to the latest events, I've placed my readings on hold and focus on the current subject: