LL-L 'Language use' 2006.09.09 (02) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) N=Northumbrian
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West) Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeeuws)
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L O W L A N D S - L * 09 September 2006 * Volume 02
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From: R. F. Hahn [sassisch at yahoo.com]
Subject: Language use

Folks,

I rarely watch André Rieu's TV shows, and when I do I usually only watch short
bits.  For those of you who don't know him, let me add that he's a "Dutch"
musician and conductor with rather popular appeal, being known for having
"reawakened the waltz" and for popularizing (mostly lighter) classical music,
mixing it up with show tunes, folksongs, etc.  He's immensely popular in Europe
and has a certain following in North America and Japan as well.

So far I'd heard André do announcements in Dutch, English and German (the latter
two shown with English subtitles here), depending on where a recorded concert
took place.  Tonight I saw a bit of one of his shows, and I paid little attention
to it while doing something else.  I heard André speak, and I was taken aback a
bit, because it sure wasn't English, and it was neither Dutch nor German either
but sounded a bit like a German dialect.  I started paying attention and ... wow!
... he was speaking Limburgish!  The show was of an outdoor concert in
Maastricht.  I had seen snippets of it before but had never gotten to the spoken
parts.  I looked away from the TV screen to avoid seeing the subtitles, and I'd
say I understood at least 90% of it.  It was truly like listening to a cross
between Dutch and North Rhenish "German" -- very easily accessible to me.  Some
Limburgish songs and the Limburgish anthem were performed as well.

Interestingly, there was no announcement for US viewers that the language used
was Limburgish, and most people here wouldn't even know there was such a thing. 
(They only know of the cheese.)  Another opportunity blown, but the producers, if
indeed they knew about it, would probably consider it a case of avoiding
superfluous detail.

Anyway, I looked up André Rieu's bio
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andr%C3%A9_Rieu) and found that he's indeed a
Limburger (and I mean this in the nicest way possible) and was born in
Maastricht.  However, apparently he was born just after his parents relocated
there from Amsterdam.

Question:
How much is Limburgish featured in the local media?  Is it only used occasionally
within local feel-good contexts like this one, or is it used more widely?  Are
the news read in Limburgish?

Interestingly, Rieu's official website
(http://www.andrerieu.com/site/index.php?id=29&L=0) comes in English, Dutch,
German, French, Spanish and Japanese.  Someone ought to suggest that it be
presented in Limburgish as well.  Now *that* would be a real service to his
native region, wouldn't it?

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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