The language spoken in the province of Fryslân is an official language. Frisian even has its own law, the Frisian Language Use Act. It contains rules about the use of Frisian in administrative communications. Most Frisian can be heard in Fryslân, the province that is also called Friesland, but is officially called Fryslân. The regional broadcaster, Omrop Fryslân, uses Frisian in its broadcasts and Frisian is spoken in Frisian town halls and in the Provincial House in Leeuwarden. Sometimes the regional language from the north of the country can be heard on national TV, such as the promise during the inauguration of King Willem-Alexander. What about Frisian?
Source: Praatmarfrysk.nl
The second language of the Netherlands
- Frisian Language Use Act
- Lutz Jacobi ,That’s me,
- Westlauwers Frisian
- Minority language
- Recognized language
- European Union
- Studying in Friesland
- Language or dialect
- Intangible heritage
Frisian Language Use Act
Lutz Jacobi, Member of Parliament for the PvdA at the time of Willem-Alexander’s inauguration, pledged allegiance to the constitutional monarchy in Frisian. She said: “That’s what I mean” in De Nieuwe Kerk at the United Assembly in honor of the inauguration of the King. ,I promise., This is allowed because it is specifically laid down in law. The use of the Frisian language in administrative and legal transactions is laid down in the Use of the Frisian Language Act.
Lutz Jacobi ,That’s me,
During the inauguration of King Willem-Alexander on April 30, 2013, Member of Parliament Lutz Jacobi set tongues wagging by making the promise in Frisian. Most parliamentarians said, ,So help me God Almighty,, or ,I promise., What they mean by that is: ,We swear (promise) that we will uphold Your sanctity and the rights of Your Kingship., The Frisian did it differently. Many thought Jacobi said, “I won’t do that,” but she actually said she promised. In Frisian.
Oath or promise
According to the King’s Swearing-in and Inauguration Act, the inauguration follows the King’s speech and the King’s taking of the oath. The centerpiece of this is a statement by the President of the United Assembly on behalf of the States General, the States of Aruba, the States of Curaçao and the States of Sint Maarten, after which each Member of the Senate and the House of Representatives and each delegate from take the oath or make the promise head by head in the Caribbean. This is a solemn way of expressing the commitment of the States General and King to the Statute for the Kingdom and the Constitution. The Frisian Member of Parliament exercised the right to make the promise in the second national language, Frisian.
In Frisian
The Act says about taking the oath or vow: ,He who must take an oral oath, promise or confirmation in implementation of a legal provision is authorized to use words corresponding to them in the Frisian language instead of the legally prescribed words. In the case referred to in the first paragraph, if an oath is taken, the words: ‘So truly help me God Almighty’ shall be replaced by the words: ‘ Sa wie help my God Almighty’ ; if a promise is made, for the words: ‘I promise’, replace the words: ‘That is what I’ ; if an affirmation is made, for the words: ‘I declare that’, replace the words: ‘That firm I’ .
Westlauwers Frisian
Frisian, which is actually called Westlauwers Frisian and is called Frysk in Frisian, is the second national language in the Netherlands. As a national language, Frisian can be used in official traffic in Friesland, under certain conditions and not in all cases. For example, the administrative bodies of the municipalities of Ameland, Schiermonnikoog, Terschelling, Vlieland and Weststellingwerf are exempt from the obligations. Use of Frisian is the exercise of a right. The status of Frisian as a national language is not optional for government agencies. Public servants must at least have a passive command of Frisian. They may not deprive Frisian speakers of the right to use an official language. Citizens have the right to use Frisian in government documents and in the judiciary.
Minority language
The Netherlands has one minority language, namely the Frisian language. All other regional languages are a dialect. Nearly half a million people speak this language. Frisian differs from Dutch and is close to the old English language. About 440,000 Dutch people speak Frisian, of which 350,000 have this language as their mother tongue. Two percent of the entire Dutch population uses Frisian as their mother tongue. About 3% speak this language. In the province of Friesland, 95% of the population understands Frisian.
Recognized language
As a recognized language, Frisian has a number of rights:
- members of the Senate or House of Representatives may take the oath in Frisian;
- members of provincial councils may take the oath in Frisian;
- Municipal councils in Fryslân may take the oath in Frisian;
- names of waterways, various municipal names and street names in Fryslân have been officially established as monolingual in Frisian;
- Frisian is allowed to be spoken in the courtroom in Fryslân;
- Frisian-speaking officials work at the municipal counter and the police in Fryslân;
- schools in Fryslân teach the subject of Frisian.
Friesland
The official name for the province of Friesland is Fryslân. The provincial government decided this in 1995.
European Union
The European Union recognizes the Frisians as a national minority. Their language is recognized as a minority language. Frisian is spoken in three areas:
- by 350,000 people as their mother tongue in the province of Fryslân;
- in the west of the province of Groningen;
- by second language speakers and native speakers outside the province.
Dialect
In parts of the province where Frisian is not the mother tongue, such as on the Wadden island of Ameland – there they speak a dialect that may have Frisian sounds, but is far from the real Frisian – Frisian language lessons at school have been replaced by local history.
Studying in Friesland
You can study Frisian at university in:
- Amsterdam;
- Groningen;
- Kiel (Germany);
- Flensburg (Germany).
Frisian can be studied as a minor in:
- United States;
- Czech Republic;
- Japan.
Language or dialect
Frisian is older than Dutch and is one of the West Germanic languages, which also includes English and Scots, High German and Dutch. The two different languages have become more similar as the country formed an administrative unit. Dutch became the dominant language, but there is enough difference between Frisian and Dutch (language distance) to call them two separate languages. Frisian has a status in daily life (language status) and Frisian speakers would like to pass on their language to the children (language will). The three properties of language distance, language willingness and language status are necessary to officially recognize a language as a language.
Language border
Frisian has a centuries-long history and a literary tradition. Frisian is not only a spoken language, but also a written language. A dialect has little or no written tradition. Frisian is also an administrative language. A language border can also be drawn around Frisian; there are clear differences with German and Dutch. In dialects, the language boundaries are not sharp, but the language areas flow into each other.
Language family
The Frisian spoken in the Netherlands belongs to a language family with representatives in Germany. Frisian knows it:
- Dutch Frisian
- Satyr Frisian (near Cloppenburg in Lower Saxony)
- North Frisian (in Germany at the Danish border).
Intangible heritage
In Fryslân, people who cherish the language and want to promote its use are working hard to get the Frisian language and culture on the UNESCO list of intangible heritage.
read more
- Frisian Press Prize
- Intangible world heritage – Frisian language and culture
- Leeuwarden – Fries StraatFestival