Luxemburgish

Luxembourgish, or Lëtzebuergesch, is a West Germanic language spoken in Luxembourg and by Luxembourgish communities abroad. It forms part of the High German language continuum and is closely related to the Moselle Franconian varieties of German. It is the national language of Luxembourg and has a standardized written form that coexists with German and French in public life.

Status and use: Since 1984 Luxembourgish has held official status as a national language in Luxembourg, and it is taught in schools and used in everyday government outreach, media, and literature. In practice, French remains common for administration, while Luxembourgish serves as the language of daily conversation and cultural expression.

Dialects and standardization: The spoken language comprises several regional dialects, with the standard Luxembourgish promoted through education and media. The orthography was codified in the 20th century, incorporating diacritics such as umlauts and digraphs; writing uses the Latin alphabet.

Phonology and vocabulary: Luxembourgish has a phonology closely related to German with influences from French and neighboring languages. It borrows vocabulary, especially for modern concepts, from French and German; English loanwords are increasingly found in technology.

Speakers and status: There are an estimated several hundred thousand speakers worldwide, with the majority in Luxembourg and the border areas of Belgium, France, and Germany. Luxembourgish is used in schooling, media, literature, music, and online communication, contributing to Luxembourg's national identity.