Gilles - Frisian Humanities

◐ Alderik Blom | ◓ Marguérite Corporaal | ◑ Peter Gilles | ◒ Caterina Sugranyes

Peter Gilles

Université du Luxembourg

Biography

Peter Gilles is full professor of linguistics at the Departmen of Humanities at the University of Luxembourg. His research has consistently aimed to explore and deepen our understanding of language variation, phonetics, and digital speech processing, particularly with a focus on low-resource languages such as Luxembourgish.

Gilles' career has bridged traditional linguistic disciplines and cutting-edge digital humanities approaches, notably in automatic speech recognition (ASR) and phonetic analysis. Through interdisciplinary collaborations and innovative projects, he seeks to preserve and promote Luxembourgish language and culture while simultaneously addressing global challenges in speech technology.

In his role as a professor and researcher, he strives to contribute to the development of new linguistic methodologies, fostering both academic excellence and meaningful societal impact by providing innovative software tools.

Abstract

The Evolution of Luxembourgish in Its Multilingual Setting

This talk examines the historical and sociolinguistic development of Luxembourgish within the context of Luxembourg’s unique multilingual landscape.

Starting from the 19th-century emergence of the nation-state, it traces the formation of a multilingual society shaped by the coexistence of Luxembourgish, French, and German. Particular focus is placed on the Ausbau of Luxembourgish—from a regional Moselle Franconian dialect to a recognized national language—through processes of status elevation, corpus planning, and language ideological shifts. The functional compartmentalization of the three official languages, with Luxembourgish as the dominant spoken code and French and German prevailing in written and institutional contexts, is critically assessed.

The final part explores current pressures on the multilingual regime, including high rates of migration and cross-border commuting, which pose challenges to the role and transmission of Luxembourgish in a superdiverse society. The case provides broader insights into language standardization, multilingual governance, and identity construction in small states.