ext_81202 ([identity profile] rebness.livejournal.com) wrote in [personal profile] rebness 2005-02-03 02:22 pm (UTC)

That's quite interesting. When we went to Alsace last week, it was a very strange mix of French/German dialect (given that the two languages are like chalk and cheese.)

Half the place-names were in German, though French is the official language. A newspaper I bought there had some articles in German, as well as offering three German channels and one in "Alsacien."

The French spoken there had a more... concrete sound to it than the lighter Parisian accent. It was really interesting.

You should definitely consider going to Alsace next time you're in Germany. There's a super-fast SNCF train that takes you from Freiburg to Alsace in under half an hour, and the eclectic mix of Latin/Germanic language and culture makes it one of the most intriguing places I've ever been.

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