Maastrichtian dialect

Maastrichtian
Mestreechs
(sometimes Mestreechs-Limbörgs or colloquially Dialek, Plat)
Pronunciation[məˈstʀeːxs]
Native tothe Netherlands
RegionCity of Maastricht
Native speakers
(undated figure of 60,000[citation needed])
Official status
Official language in
Limburg, Netherlands: Recognised as regional language as a variant of Limburgish.
Regulated byVeldeke-Krink Mestreech
Language codes
ISO 639-3
GlottologNone
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Maastrichtian (Limburgish: Mestreechs [məˈstʀeːxs]) or Maastrichtian Limburgish (Limburgish: Mestreechs-Limbörgs [məˌstʀeːxsˈlimbœʀəxs]) is the dialect and variant of Limburgish spoken in the Dutch city of Maastricht alongside the Dutch language (with which it is not mutually intelligible). In terms of speakers, it is the most widespread variant of Limburgish, and it is a tonal one. Like many of the Limburgish dialects spoken in neighbouring Belgian Limburg,[2] Maastrichtian retained many Gallo-Romance (French and Walloon) influences in its vocabulary.[3]

The French influence can additionally be attributed to the historical importance of French with the cultural elite and educational systems as well as the historical immigration of Walloon labourers to the city.[citation needed] Despite being a specific variant of Limburgish, Maastrichtian remains mutually intelligible with other Limburgish variants, especially those of surrounding municipalities.

Whilst Maastrichtian is still widely spoken, regardless of social level, research has shown that it is suffering from a degree of dialect loss amongst younger generations. That is the case in dwindling of speakers but also in development of the dialect (dialect levelling) towards Standard Dutch (like the loss of local words and grammar).[1]

  1. ^ a b Gussenhoven & Aarts (1999:155)
  2. ^ Rob Belemans & Benny Keulen, Taal in stad en land: Belgisch-Limburgs, 2004
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Veldeke was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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