16 Facts About Limburgish

Limburgish, called Limburgan, Limburgian, or Limburgic, is a West Germanic language spoken in the Dutch and Belgian provinces of Limburg and in the neighbouring regions of Germany.

Since Limburgish is still the mother tongue of many inhabitants in the aforementioned region, Limburgish grammar, vocabulary and pronunciations can have a significant impact on the way locals speak Dutch in public life.

Name Limburgish derives only indirectly from the now Belgian town of Limbourg, which was the capital of the Duchy of Limburg during the Middle Ages.

Limburgish has partially overlapping definition areas, depending on the criteria used:.

When Standard Dutch was formed out of elements of different Low Franconian dialects in the 16th century, the Limburgish dialects spoken in the Low Countries had little or no influence on this process.

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In German sources, the dialects linguistically counting as Limburgish spoken to the east of the river Rhine are called Bergish .

Limburgish is spoken in a considerable part of the German Lower Rhine area, in what linguistically could be called German Limburg.

Limburgish has no real written tradition, except for its early beginnings.

In Belgium, the Limburgish dialects are more endangered than in the Netherlands.

An attempt at recognition, made after Limburgish had been recognised in the Netherlands, failed in the Belgian parliament due to Flemish opposition.

Limburgish group belongs to the Continental West Germanic dialect continuum.

Dutch linguists use the term Oost-Limburgs for the form of Limburgish spoken in an area from Belgian Voeren south of Maastricht in the Netherlands to the German border.

Southeast Limburgish is spoken in and around Kerkrade, Simpelveld, Bocholtz and Vaals in the Netherlands, Aachen in Germany and Raeren and Eynatten in Belgium.

Limburgish has many varieties hence there isn't a standard written form.

Many dialects of Limburgish have a pitch accent, having two different accents used in stressed syllables.

In some of the Limburgish dialects, is used before masculine words beginning with b, d, h, t or with a vowel and in many other dialects is used before all masculine words.