Legitimating Limburgish: The reproduction of heritage

Abstract

Limburgish in the Netherlands is another example of a language whose status has risen through protection under European policies of recognition. Formerly viewed as a dialect of Dutch, Diana Camps examines the discourses and practices which legitimate Limburgish as a language in its own right. Beginning with a document analysis of protection policies under the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages, she notes the role that discourses of heritage play in the legitimation of Limburgish at international and national levels. At the local level of a language classroom, Camps draws on observation data to examine how a teacher of Limburgish legitimates himself and the language through appropriating the discourse of heritage and deploying a discourse of linguistic expertise.