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Language in Luxembourg

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Old May 16th, 2001 | 10:17 AM
  #1  
Suzy
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Language in Luxembourg

Which language is more prevalent in Luxembourg City -- French or German? If you were going to move to Luxembourg, and you knew neither, would you learn French or German?
 
Old May 16th, 2001 | 10:41 AM
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SM
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French, French
 
Old May 16th, 2001 | 10:45 AM
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Alec
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Neither. Most Luxembourg citizens (as opposed to foreign residents - around 20% of population) are tri-lingual: French, German and Letzeburgish. Letzeburgish is the normal language for conversation among natives, taught in schools and to foreign residents in classes. But it isn't really a written language and most newspapers are printed in German, while official announcements and documents apppear first in French. <BR>There is a useful overview of language situation in http://www.luxembourg.co.uk/lingua.html#puzzle <BR>For practical purposes, either German or French will do. It has been said that German tends to be spoken by the working classes, while French is preferred by the intelligentia, though this is a generalisation. The natives tend to address you in French or English first. English is quite well understood, esp in the business and administrative communities.
 
Old May 16th, 2001 | 10:55 AM
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SM
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So the answer still is: learn French
 
Old May 16th, 2001 | 11:02 AM
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Rex
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I agree with French. There was an interesting thread in the last year on <BR>Luxemburgisch (Letzenburgesch?) - - one or both of those might be mis-spelled. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex <BR> <BR>
 

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