[Lilux-help] Google.lu & German

[Patrick Kaell]

> Don't worry too badly about google.be; google is known to often screw
> up the language.
> 
> Google.lu defaults to German, even though near 100% of Luxembourg
> actually speaks Luxembourgish, and even though a sizeable amount of
> the population (especially the older generations, who lived through
> WWII) dislikes it to be lumped together with the Germans.
> 
> If Google had a minimum amount of political smartness, they'd have at
> least chosen French as the default language for google.lu . Or even
> better, they would have applied for a government grant to translate
> Google into Luxembourgish ;-)

It would be fine if Google would support Luxembourgish. But please don't 
blame Google for it!!! Our europhile governement didn't even manage to 
established our UN (1984) recognised national language as a recognised 
EU language, a right wich was attributed to ALL 10 new state members 
(even Malta which is smaller than Luxembourg).

Besides, German is the only foreign language which is understood by ALL 
native Luxemburger (wich cannot be said for French). Luxemburgers still 
are all alphabetized in German und for the same reason every 
luxemburgish policemen writes his reports in German. Look for 
http://www.police.public.lu where some chosen police reports are 
published by the Press department with only small modifications.

Compare the knowledge of the french language of a 7 year (or 80 year) 
old luxemburgish citizen with her knowledge of the german language!!!

Besides, if you overlook the french words which we find in the 
luxemburgish language, you will see that the fundamentals of the 
luxemburgish language are quite similar to the german language. There is 
no neutral, no accusative, no dative in the french language! This may 
not help the average luxembourger to speak *correct* german (because too 
much luxemburgishms are introduced in their German), but greatly helps 
them to understand the language. Look at all the "Spillschoul" kids who 
never learned German watching Sesamstraße & Co.

You can switch Google.lu to French, German is only the default.

 > the population (especially the older generations, who lived through
 > WWII) dislikes it to be lumped together with the Germans.

Especially the older generations have *real* problems with French, 
because the french language was not taught in Luxembourg during WWII.

 > If Google had a minimum amount of political smartness

So what? German is not only spoken by Germans, but also by people living 
in Switzerland and Belgium (Eupen and St. Vith). Also never mind that 
almost everywere in the world (even America) people will take you 
immediately as a German when you open your mouth (Most foreign people 
will not hear the difference between lux. and german if they are only 
listening to the sound of the language and don't understand German or 
Luxembourgish). So you will have to explain that the sound of your 
language is not linked to the political conviction of your country 
during WWII (Which will be the same for the swiss and belgian German 
speakers and to some extend for the Netherlands).

Patrick Kaell