Page Type: languageLuxembourgish | Ethnologue

LTZ ISO 639-3

Luxembourgish

Lëtzebuergesch Autonym

A language of Luxembourg

ISO 639
ltz
Alternate Names
Frankish, Letzburgisch, Letzeburgisch, Luxembourgeois, Luxemburgian, Luxemburgish, Moselle Franconian
Autonym
Lëtzebuergesch
Population
402,500 in Luxembourg, all users. L1 users: 319,000 in Luxembourg (European Commission 2012). L2 users: 83,500 (2019). Total users in all countries: 514,600 (as L1: 431,100; as L2: 83,500).
Location:
Widespread.
Language Status
4 (Educational). Statutory language of national identity (1984, Language Law of 24 February, Article 1).
Classification
Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, German, Middle German, West Middle German, Moselle Franconian
Dialects
Eechternoacher, Kliärrwer, Miseler, Stater, Veiner, Minetter, Weelzer. As distinct from Standard German [deu] as is Dutch [nld] (Stephens 1976); not inherently intelligible with it. A Moselle variety of Frankish-German origin, related to varieties of Mitteldeutsch of Belgium.
Typology
SVO; prepositions; articles, adjectives, numerals, relatives before noun heads; question word initial; 3 prefixes, 2 suffixes on a word; rigid word order; passives; nontonal.
Language Use
Vigorous. The language of creativity for most. Modest amounts of literature. All domains. Used by all. Positive attitudes. West and Central varieties considered more sophisticated; North more rural, peasant-like. Variety used by older Belgian-border inhabitants considered old-fashioned and full of French [fra] words, but perfectly intelligible. Most also use English [eng] (European Commission 2006). Also use French [fra]. Also use Standard German [deu]. Used as L2 by Kabuverdianu [kea].
Language Development
Literacy rate in L2: 99% in German [deu] and French [fra]. Newspapers. Radio. TV. Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 2017.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Luxembourgish
Writing
Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments
Christian.

Also Spoken in

Language Name
Luxembourgish
User Population
30,000 in Belgium (1998).
Location
Luxembourg province: Arlon and Bastogne area.
Dialects
Areler.
Language Status
5 (Dispersed)
View other languages of Belgium
Language Name
Luxembourgish
User Population
23,100 in Germany (2020 census). , based on nationality.
Location
Rheinland-Pfalz state: Bitburg area.
Dialects
Eechternoacher, Kliärrwer, Veiner.
Language Status
5 (Dispersed)
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Language Name
Luxembourgish
User Population
40,000 in France (2001 J. Nousse).
Location
Grand-Est region: Moselle river area, Germany border to Luxembourg, Thionville.
Dialects
Miseler, Minetter.
Language Status
5 (Dispersed)
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Language Name
Transylvanian Saxon
User Population
19,000 in Romania (2020 Joshua Project). , based on ethnicity.
Location
Bistrita-Nasaud, Brasov, Hunedoara, Mures, and Sibiu counties: scattered.
Language Status
7 (Shifting)
Other Comments
Non-indigenous.
View other languages of Romania

Map

Location: Widespread.