LL-L "Language varieties" 2002.09.27 (06) [E/L]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 27.SEP.2002 (06) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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 A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
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From: Helge Tietz <helgetietz at yahoo.com>
Subject: "Limburgs" in the Lower Rhine area and Eupen

I believe that we (the Lowlandic activists) have to
start a discussion about the status of the Lower
Franconian dialects in the area in German
Northrhine-Westphalia which linguistically is a
transitional region between the more-high-German
dialects of Cologne (and south) and fully-Dutch
dialects around the city of Kleef/Kleve. This area is
linguistacally bordered by the maken/machen line
(Benrather Linie)to the south  and the ik/ich-line
(Uerdinger Linie) to the north. On the German site
this area is categorized as Lower Franconian whereas
on the Dutch site this area appears as excluded from
being connected to Lower Franconian. Fact is that the
dialect of Krefeld/Krieveld in this transitional area
is much more similar to the dialect of Venlo and
mutual comprehesible whereas the dialect of Kerkrade
lies south of the Benrath-line, therefore is more
closeley related to the dialects of Aachen/Aken and
Cologne than to the one of Venlo. If we forget about
international borders (which I think we should do as
Lowlandic activists) and look at this issues purely
linguistically (I am referring in this context to the
linguistic Theodor Frings) we have to exclude Kerkrade
from the Lowlandic area while including
Moenchengladbach/Glabbeek), Krefeld/Krieveld and
Neuss/Nuys and technically even Essen, Duesseldorf and
Solingen east of the Rhine.  In the villages north of
Krefeld such as Nieukerk Dutch was actually the
educational language until 1840, only than the
Prussian authorities demanded standart German as the
educational language and the discrimination of the
Dutch languages and its local Lower Franconian
dialects began. (to read more about it please go to
http://www.plattradio.de/undsonst/plattserioes/plattserioes.html,
unfortunately only in German available). If we only
want to include the areas north of the Uerdingen-Line
as being Lowlandic we will not only have to exclude
the area mentioned above but also Kerkrade, Simpelveld
and perhaps even Maastricht, Weert and Genk in Dutch
and Belgian Limburg. According to J. Goossens the
ik/ich-line hits the germanic-romanic language-border
to the west of Tienen in Brabant, therefore everything
in between Krefeld/Krieveld, Eupen and Tienen is
basically part of the transitional area. I have the
impression that we do not have many subscibers among
us who have a thorough knowledge about the
transitional area on the Lower Rhine, it would be good
to have linguists from that area in question and have
their opinion. I have spent parts of my childhood in a
suburb between Moenchengladbach/Glabbeek and
Neuss/Nuys and I remember some of the locals speaking
the local dialect and they pointed out that their
dialect is more related to Dutch than anything else
and they found Dutch in general comprehensible.

So, what is your opinion ? I believe we should include
this transitional area (in Germany this area is
usually referred to as "Niederrhein" (Lower Rhine)
though its boundaries are not clearly defined) as well
as including Kerkrade since the official language is
Dutch there and even include the small Western part of
the Eupen didstrict since it has a dialect north of
the Benrath-line. Due to the linguistic policies of
Belgium this would make Eupen a Lowlandic enclave but
linguistically that would be correct. It also would be
good if we would find linguistic activists in that
area which can translate the introduction to the
Lowlands-web-site into one of the dialects of that
area, perhaps into the dialect of Krefeld/Krieveld and
in particular Eupen because it would be the most
southern place in Europe with a native lowlandic
dialect. I would categorize these dialects as
"Limburgs" but have it distinctive from the Limburgs
in the Netherlands and Belgium. In the end, if we
include those Lower Franconian dialects in this area
we can contribute to raise their status in the state
of Northrhine-Westphalia and help them surviving
before they disappear for good.

Finally, I have typed in a text from a book called
"Rheinische Mundart, 1979" written by Jean Vilvoye
from Wahlhorn near Eupen in the local Lower Franconian
dialect which I would like attach as an example and,
since it is the beginning of autumn, quite adequate:

Herbstbegänn

Änn oos Bööm sängt noo d'r Waind
sie störmesch Léed,
d'r Soomer geet
d'r Herbst treßckt än et Laind,
önn ömm g'n Stoof sétt Manne,
Vro änn Kaind.

Métt stélle Glanz noch wärmt de Sonn
de Weilder, Bosch änn Wéjje,
eel neet mie lang, dann mott se schéjje;
wérrem e Joor verronn
off me gätt druut gewonn ?

De Naate wäärde kauwer noo,
eel 't hat geen Nuued,
gesörgt hat vöör oos Bruued,
déalles hat gebooe,
än hööm liet alle Ro.

Jean Vilvoye, Eupen.

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