Bilingual nations in Europe

Switzerland has not two but four official languages:German',French,Italian and Romanche.

Edited by Moustafa Pasha - 14-Aug-2006 at 21:11

Originally posted by Majkes Lithuanians were speaking in starocerkiewny ( I don't know how it is English ). It was language in which Western Rus was speaking. Lithuanian was mainly used by lower classes. On Lithuanian court before Union with Poland this starocerkiewny language was officially used. They adopted it from conquered Rus duchies. Lithuanians were very tollerant for conquered people. Rus duchies were cullturaly higher than Lithuanians. I'm also not sure if it was really written Lithuanian in the period

And even in XVI century sometimes was. I Have few doccuments of court in ruthenian.

Originally posted by Svyturys And even in XVI century sometimes was. I Have few doccuments of court in ruthenian.   But as i know in Poland polish language was also very unused till XVI century. Main were latin? Because then main languages wasn't ethnic languages, but languages that was popular. For examply in all west Europe main language was latin, in East - ruthenian was more known. But it isn't reason to call it MAIN LANGUAGE, like we understand MAIN today. Lithuanians spoke lithuanian, ruthenians in ruthenian.

Originally posted by Aelfgifu Originally posted by John Lenon 2. Norway: Nobles (Dutch, after them Swedish) - one language, common people - their own language. I think because of this today thera are 2 official Norwagian laguages.   I want to say Danes (Denmark)   It is because of the Danes there are two Norwegian languages, but not in the way you would think. During the time the Danish ruled over Norway, Norsk, which was a pretty small language to begin with, pretty much dissappeared. After the Danes left, the Norwegians literally had to reconstruct their own language. The two resulting languages are a difference in opinion on the best interpretation. So Norwegian is a pretty new and also a bit artificial....

Originally posted by Svyturys [ It was ruthenian language, not russian. And it wasn't very widely speaking in ethnic Lithuania, most of them spoke in lithuanian language and defended it. Only in XIX century belorusan language reached almost all east Lithuania.

There is also a small slavic minority group in Germany, who live in easternmost Saxony and they speak "Sorbisch". Also in Germany around the border regions, the language of the neighboring country is officially taught in schools. Danish, for example, in northern Schleswig-Holstein, Dutch along the border with the Netherlands. In most of East GErmany Russian is still taugh in schools.

Also in the Vatican, both Italian and Latin are official languages. In Lichtenstein both high German and Allemansh (a German dialoect) are spoken.

By the way, Renegade, I think that both French AND German are the two main languages spoken in Switzerland. I think they are about equal in representation.

According to my family members, German speakers are somewhat more numerous in Switzerland. Maybe it's their Suisse-Romande paranoia though. 

I didn't know Luxembourg had a completely different language. Is it like the Romanche language in Switzerland? To which language is it most related to? I'd love to hear it.

In Sweden there are two main languages:

- Swedish
- Sami

Others are spoken too by immigrants. Some are Finnish, Kurdish, Arabic, Turkish, Spanish, Greek and Serbo-Croatian.

The dialects are different in every region.

I speak Oskotska, a dialect spoken in the state of Ostergotaland.

Originally posted by Styrbiorn Originally posted by Flipper In Sweden there are two main languages: - Swedish - Sami Others are spoken too by immigrants. Some are Finnish, Kurdish, Arabic, Turkish, Spanish, Greek and Serbo-Croatian. The dialects are different in every region. I speak Oskotska, a dialect spoken in the state of Ostergotaland. Sami is hardly a main language. It's an official language, but has very few speakers.

You are right. It was a typo. Official is correct.