Despite being one of the smallest political units in the world, with only 465,000 people, the duchy of Luxembourg boasts two official languages.
Despite being one of the smallest political units in the world, with only 465,000 people, the duchy of Luxembourg boasts two official languages, a separate national language, and a strong fluency in English as well.
Because Luxembourg is located between France and Germany, citizens can very easily go abroad to both countries. Consequently, both French and German are spoken fluently throughout the Duchy. French is the official language of the government, while German is used by the press. Both languages are spoken in the school system; German is spoken at the primary level, and French at the secondary level.
During WWII, when Germany occupied Luxembourg, speaking French was forbidden. Many Luxembourgers refused to speak German, as a sign of resistance. Instead, they began using old Luxembourgish words, leading to a renewed use of the language.
Luxembourgish (Letzebuergesh) is a blend of Dutch, old German, French words. It has some English thrown in for good measure. It is now the everyday spoken language. It was proclaimed the national language (not official) of Luxembourg in 1984.
Luxembourgish is not understood by Germans or the French, despite its roots in both these languages.
Most Luxembourger’s are also fluent in English, especially around the cities and areas of commerce. In the countryside, English is not spoken as much.
