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Professor of Frisian pleads for better Frisian writing education

Omrop Fryslân

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Omrop Fryslân

NOS News

Retiring professor Goffe Jensma believes that Frisian writing education should be improved. According to Jensma, too many Frisians have a Dutch dictionary ‘in their heads’. Frisians who do not know the Frisian word for something are said to be too often inclined to use Dutch words, which puts pressure on the quality of the spoken Frisian.

Better Frisian writing education would improve the quality of the language, says Jensma. According to him, too many Frisians only really learn the language well at a later age: “Most Frisian writers also started in Dutch and are still unsure about Frisian and regularly pick up the dictionary,” he says to Omrop. Friesland.

According to Jensma, contemporary writing education with modern tools such as digital language assistants can help: “Actually, all children should learn that you can write Frisian and what the standard is.”

Goodbye

Jensma was professor of Frisian at the University of Groningen (RUG). When it became clear that his successor was getting an appointment for two days, and not full-time like Jensma, there was a commotion.

Numerous Frisian prominent figures called on the university to appoint a full professor. In an open letter they spoke of an “unnecessary step back” and “a hard cut for our vulnerable minority language.”

The decision was also criticized by the province and the House of Representatives. The university informed the regional broadcaster that it would come up with an interim solution early next year.

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