Zeg geej maar dich: A questionnaire study on Limburgian speakers' second person address practices in Limburgian and Dutch

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2024

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en

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Despite its limited geographical area and relatively small number of speakers, the Dutch province of Limburg shows ample regional diversity. The question addressed in the current study is whether this diversity could also be found for the manner in which speakers from Limburg address one another. This study consisted of two parts. First, a systematic literature review was conducted to find all scientific literature relevant to the topic. Second, a survey was administered to Limburgian speakers to collect data on their address use in conversation with a various set of interlocutors in Limburgian and Dutch. The results showed regional variation in the address pronouns available to Limburgian speakers. In many languages, a speaker can choose between an informal and a more polite address pronoun. However, not all regions of Limburg appeared to exhibit this binary address system. Another peculiarity in Limburgian address practices is that in some regions of the province, the gender of the addressee appeared to be a defining factor in the choice between two address pronouns. This study was the first to specifically explore second person singular address practices employed by the Dutch population of Limburgian speakers.

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Faculteit der Letteren