Limburg (Netherlands)

Limburg is the southern-most of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands, located in the south-east of the country. It is bordered by Belgium in the west, Germany in the east, and the province of North Brabant in the north.

Languages

Limburg has its own language, called Limburgish (Dutch: Limburgs). This is, since 1997, an official regional language, and as such receives moderate protection under Chapter 2 of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

Related Topics:
Language - Limburgish - Regional language - European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages

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Limburgish is spoken by an estimated 1 million people in both Belgian and Dutch Limburg. There are many different dialects in the Limburgisch language. Almost every town and village has its own slightly different dialect. Dialects more toward the German border (near Aachen for instance) have a more German influence, while dialects spoken in the Meuse (Dutch: Maas) valley have a more French tone to them. Even between the cities of Venlo and Maastricht, very different dialects separated by major isoglosses continue to exist.

Related Topics:
Belgian - German - Aachen - German - Meuse

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The local dialects are preserved thanks to the almost rabid efforts of the native speakers. For example, people from opposite sides of the Meuse within the same city of Maastricht will sometimes feign ignorance of one another's dialect; even going so far as pretending not to know Dutch, which is the official language of the province and the language used to teach in schools. This is a rivalry based not on history, but on a stubborn determination not to allow their dialects to become moribund and eventually disappear.

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Besides the Limburgish language, all people speak Dutch. In areas near the German border, most people also speak German. As with all of the Netherlands, the majority of Limburgers also speak English with varying degrees of fluency.

Related Topics:
German - German - English

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