Elsässisch and Francique are languages which seek protection under Europe’s wing. Explained by Canadian translator, Robert Henderson.
Wer güet schmiert, fährt güet.
"Who greases well, drives well," say the Alsatians. Their language is one of several Germanic dialects spoken in the Rhine country’s Three Nations region, where France, Luxembourg, and Germany converge. Today these peoples are earnestly greasing the wheels that will take them and their languages into a new millennium.
Three Nations hearth tongues are usually divided into two categories: Elsässisch (Alsatian) has the first to itself, and the Francique tongues share the second. Though particulars vary, both face common challenges and enjoy similar advantages in the new Europe.
Elsässisch
Strategically located between two rival nations, the Alsace has been a bone of contention since German confederation. German nationalists claim the Alsace on the strength of their presumption that Elsässisch is a dialect of German. The French maintain that since the Alsace is on their side of the Rhine, it is rightfully theirs. The Alsatian people have suffered grievously at the hands of both, and today most simply wish to be left in peace by whoever is in charge this week.
Popular assumptions aside, Elsässisch is not a corruption of Standard German. In reality, it is a separate tradition which sprang independently from local tribal languages and evolved simultaneously with Standard German. Like close relatives Schwäbsch (Schwäbisch) and Schwyzertüütsch, Elsässisch is subordinate to no existing language. However, speakers usually fall back on Standard German when writing. Spoken Elsässisch is highly dialectic, changing from village to village, which may explain the Alsatians’ willingness to accept a foreign written standard.
For a language which commands little government support, Elsässisch boasts enviable Internet presence. La Bibliothèque alsatique’s page reveals an extensive collection going back to the Middle Ages, and L'Université Populaire d'Obernai offers an attractive Alsatian Studies programme. Informal resources include Verdammi’s online Elsässisch course and Jean-Luc Ripp’s very complete home page, with grammar and pronunciation hints, an introduction to Alsatian profanity, and an extensive proverb catalogue.
Francique Languages
Asked if their native Francique tradition is a language, dialect, or patois, France’s Platt speakers just shrug. As much as anything else, this casual attitude distinguishes them from their francophone neighbours. Platt, spoken in the Moselle Valley, is similar to Lëtzebuergesch (Luxembourgian) and, like all Francique traditions, is a direct descendant of Charlemagne’s Frankish language. Today, Francique speakers everywhere are finding common cause with provocative results.
Only Luxembourg has a stable Francique-speaking majority. Luxembourg’s linguistic landscape is complex: officially francophone, the duchy also immerses all students in Standard German. Thus, most Luxemburgers are fluent in three languages. Oddly, many are barely literate in their native tongue; until recently, Lëtzebuergesch seldom entered schools. Now many Luxemburgers are out to change that.
Platt also is generally unwritten, and when written, is written differently. However, some Platt speakers advocate adopting the Luxembourg orthography as a solidarity measure. Others oppose writing Francique languages at all, adhering to the traditional use of Standard German as the written medium. (Platt should not be confused with Plattdüütsch, or Low German, which is an unrelated tradition from the Flat Low Countries, i.e. Northern Germany.)
Platt Web resources include Collège Général DeGaulle, a French middle school and proud sponsor of a delightful Platt web site, and Plattweb, an expansive private site dedicated to Francique cultural survival.
New Sheriff in Town
The Alsatian city of Strasbourg was chosen to host the European Parliament for the very good reason that this region’s past is an object study in inter-European hatred. German occupiers despised Three Nations peoples because they weren’t German enough. French occupiers despised them because they were too German. In the endless cycle of invasion and counter-invasion, one theme is apparent, the locals always lose, master-du-jour notwithstanding.
As a result, these peoples tend to identify more with their own culture and the European Union than with contemporary nation states. (As an Alsatian-American friend puts it, when asked where he’s from, he pauses, smiles, and finally ventures, "Er . . . France.") Thus, Elsässisch and Francique web pages often include links to nationalist organisations such as Heimetsproch un Tradition and l'Union du Peuple Alsacien.
Speakers were also active in the crusade to prod a very reluctant French government to ratify the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. Platt and Elsassisch forums hum with commentary on this legislation and the campaign to embed it in EU law. French breast-beating over the danger that the Minority Languages Charter supposedly poses to France’s cultural integrity stands in stark contrast to that nation’s successful pogrom against its regional languages. Elsassisch and Platt are now gravely endangered, as Mercator indicates. The notion that either could threaten the majority is an illustrative example of quirky Gallic logic.
Famous for breathtaking scenery, succulent cuisine, and excellent white wines, the Upper Rhine is also exceptionally rich in cultural diversity. That diversity is as valuable an asset as its other attributes. Here's hoping the peoples of the Three Nations region can turn their fortunes around within the new European consensus.
Links
Elsässisch Course
About the Author
Robert Henderson is a Quebec Freelance Writer, Editor, Translator, and Photographer. Here is his website.
© 2000, 2002 Robert Henderson
