Limburgish

LIM

provincial

Alternate Names: Limberger, Limburgan, Limburgian, Limburgic, Limburgs Plat

Dialects: A Rhenisch-Maas group of dialects, often combined with Cleves dialects (Kleverländisch) as Rheinmaasländisch. Limburgish straddles the border between, Low Franconian and Middle Franconian varieties. More-or-less mutually intelligible with Ripuarian dialects, but show fewer, High German shifts (2001 R. Hahn).

Status Notes: Statutory provincial language in Limburg Province (1996, Ratification Act, ECRML, No. 136), effective 1997.

Genealogy:

Indo-European
Germanic
West
High German
German
Middle German
West Middle German
Rhenisch Franconian

Demographics: 700,000 in Netherlands (2001). Population total all countries: 1,300,000.

Language Use: Spoken by 50%–90% of the population in Limburg Province. All domains, songs. All ages. Also use Dutch [nld], Standard German [deu].

Language Development: Literacy rate in L2: 99%–100%. Dictionary. Bible portions: 2001.

Writing System: Latin

Nation of Origin: Netherlands

Other Comments: Christian.