• In the language itself: Grunnegs
• ISO 639-3 standard: gos

• Classification: Indo-European → Germanic → Northwest Germanic → West Germanic → North Sea Germanic → Altsächsisch → Middle-Modern Low German → Low German → West Low German → North Low Saxon → Gronings. For more information, see gron1242 at Glottolog
• Script: Latin

Low Saxon is not one standardised language, but a language family. The main varieties in the Netherlands are Achterhoeks, Drents, Gronings, Sallands, Stellingwerfs, Twents, Urks and Veluws. Within these varieties of Low Saxon, different dialects can be found. Examples of the dialects that constitute Gronings are Groningen-East Frisian, Veenkoloniaals, Westerwolds and West Groningen. ¹⁾ The varieties within the province of Groningen are however codified (Bloemhoff et al., 2013, p. 499). ²⁾
Spelling rules were introduced in the early 1950s in Groningen, which were based on the second edition of K. ter Laan's Nieuw Gronings Woordenboek (Bloemhoff et al., 2020, p. 84). ³⁾ In the 1980s Siemon Reker published an adapted version of ter Laan's dictionary (ibid). ⁴⁾ The dictionaries of ter Laan and Reker, as well as Reker's spelling rules for Gronings, can be found on WoordWaark. The website is a joint effort of the Centrum Groninger Taal & Cultuur and the University of Groningen.

A research project in 2003 focused on eliciting command and use of Low Saxon varieties in nine areas. The results for the province of Groningen show that out of the then population (574,500) 77.7% declare to be able to speak their variety but only 45.6% actual use Gronings, or together in combination with Dutch, at home (Bloemhoff et al. 2013, p. 499). ⁵⁾ The percentages for their ability to read and actual frequent reading are similar (72.6% and 46.4%) (ibid). ⁶⁾ All answers were self-reported estimations by the respondents (ibid). ⁷⁾

The Low Saxon (also: West-Low German) language area spans across the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark (see image 1). In the Netherlands, a substantial north-eastern part is traditionally referred to as the Low Saxon area ⁸⁾ The geographical area referred to stretches from the province of Groningen southwards to the eastern corner of Utrecht province, more precisely the Veluwe, and to the Achterhoek in Gelderland⁹⁾(see image 2). Gronings is mainly spoken in the province of Groningen, the north-eastern province of the Netherlands, but also in the bordering provinces of Fryslân and Drenthe (see image 3).

_{Image 1. Map showing the Low Saxon language area in the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark ¹⁰⁾
Image 2. Map showing the Low Saxon language area in the Netherlands, with the province of Groningen in the north-east ¹¹⁾
Image 3. Map showing the Gronings language area, in the provinve of Groningen, as well as Fryslân and Drenthe, with various dialects ¹²⁾}

Factors such as gender, educational background or urbanisation only plays a little role in number of speakers of Nedersaksisch in comparison to the aspect of age (Bloemhoff et al., 2020, p. 116).¹³⁾ The numbers for speakers who mainly use their regional variety at home show a substantial difference between the age group of 61 and above, and the age group from 18 to 39 (ibid).¹⁴⁾ 40% of the older age group use their language at home while only 17% of the younger age group do so (ibid). ¹⁵⁾

Low Saxon has never been part of education curriculum and schools are not obligated to incorporate any kind of courses on Low Saxon (Bloemhoff et al., 2020, p. 105).¹⁶⁾ Low Saxon is barely represented in traditional media. It is not in use in national broadcasting but sometimes on local and regional television or radio (Bloemhoff et al. 2020, p. 109). ¹⁷⁾ The regional station in Groningen, RTV Noord, airs for about 15 hours per week in Gronings (ibid).¹⁸⁾ Online learning resources have only been started to be developed recently, as will be discussed in the chapters below.

The Netherlands signed and ratified the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages by the Council of Europe and it came into force in 1998. Within the Charter Low Saxon is protected under Part II Article 7 ¹⁹⁾ This facilitates its promotion across different layers of society such as education:

• 7.c) the need for resolute action to promote Limburgish in order to safeguard it;
• 7.d) the facilitation and/or encouragement of the use of Limburgish, in speech and writing, in public and private life;
• 7.f) the provision of appropriate forms and means for the teaching and study of Limburgish at all appropriate stages;
• 7.g) the provision of facilities enabling non-speakers of Limburgish living in the area where it is used to learn it if they so desire;
• 7.h) the promotion of study and research on Limburgish at universities or equivalent institutions.

Though the Netherlands has signed and ratified the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities by the Council of Europe in 2005, Low Saxons are not recognised as a national minority.

The Covenant on the Recognition by The Netherlands of the Low Saxon Regional Language (English version) was signed by the Minister of Interior and the governmental representatives of the provinces of Drenthe, Fryslân, Gelderland, Groningen, Overijssel, and of the municipalities of West- and Ooststellingwerf on October 18th, 2018. The province of Flevoland and the municipalities of Urk and Bunschoten joined at a later moment, and signed the covenant on September 13th, 2024 ²⁰⁾.

With the Covenant, the Dutch government “recognises the Low Saxon regional language as an intrinsic, integral and independent part of the language system of the Netherlands”, and all parties “will make every effort within their power and will cooperate to preserve the Low Saxon language in the Netherlands and to promote its use, without passing new legislation” (translations from https://rm.coe.int/netherlandspr6-appendix-2-en/1680950097). Possibilities for education are mentioned in reference to the national educational laws.

Legislation regarding education is made at national level.

• Pre-school education (0-4 years)

In pre-school education, the Wet Kinderopvang [Eng: Childcare Act] states that, when “a regional language which is in lively use”, this language can be also be used as the medium of instruction, besides Dutch ²¹⁾. This allows for the use of Gronings.

As of January 2025, there is a legal requirement for employees to have a Dutch language certificate at B2 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference ²²⁾. Employees who use another language full time, are exempt for a Dutch certificate, but are required to have a certificate at B2 level for the language of instruction.

• Primary school education (4-12 years)

In primary education, the Wet op het primair onderwijs [Primary Education Act] states that, when “a regional language which is in lively use”, this language can be also be used as the medium of instruction, besides Dutch ²³⁾. This allows for the use of Gronings, as underlined by the Covenant on the Recognition by The Netherlands of the Low Saxon Regional Language.

• Secondary school education (12-16/18 years)

Until August 2022, the Wet op het voortgezet onderwijs [Secondary Education Act] stated the same construction as pre-school and primary education, namely that regional language variety “which is in lively use” can be used as medium of instruction, alongside Dutch. However, this passage no longer is included in the current Wet voortgezet onderwijs 2020 [Secondary Education Act 2020]. The Act does allow to deviate from Dutch as language of instruction when the subject is about another language, or when it is necessary to do so for pupils because of their linguistic background ²⁴⁾. Nevertheless, the Dutch government continues to state on their website that it is possible and allowed to teach Low Saxon in secondary education ²⁵⁾.

Learning resources for Nedersaksisch vary in their extensiveness depending on the variety. Resources for Gronings are made available for different age groups that range from children to adult education. The Centrum Groninger Taal & Cultuur (CGTC) offers language courses for different levels to adults including a short introduction course .
One learning resource available for primary schools is the newspaper Wiesneus. Wiesneus is a project originally launched for Drents by the Huus van de Toal (engl. House of the Language) and is now translated into other varieties of Low Saxon, including Gronings. ^{26) 27)} Primary schools from Groningen can obtain the magazine in Gronings through the CGTC.

Digital reading materials for a primary school level can be found on the Klunderloa website. The website was developed by the CGTC and contains children’s books, stories, poems and songs. Klunderloa is not only aimed at being used in a classroom setting but also at home with caregivers. In 2019 an app game project, also initiated by CGTC, has received funding to teach children the regional language in about 20 villages in Groningen.²⁸⁾

The education law does not declare the use of Gronings to be compulsory in preschools. Preschools may decide themselves if they choose to use the regional language, next to Dutch.²⁹⁾

Similarly to preschool, primary schools may also choose on their own whether or not they want to use Gronings in class. ³⁰⁾ The Primary Education Act (2020) states that a regional language, this includes Gronings, can be used as a main language in class if that language is used actively in the community. ³¹⁾
Some primary schools already use Gronings but it is not yet structurally implemented. ³²⁾ When schools integrate Gronings they often do this in the course of a project.³³⁾

In 2018 the University of Groningen introduced a professor by special appointment of Low Saxon/Groningen Language and Culture. ³⁴⁾ This appointment is tightly connected to the Faculty of Arts and the Centrum Groninger Taal & Cultuur (CGTC). The special appointment aims at strengthening the position of Gronings within the province and also in academia.

Centrum Groninger Taal & Cultuur

Meertens Instituut - Onderzoek van Nederlandse taal en cultuur (Meertens Institute - Research of Dutch language and culture

WoordWaark

Klunderloa

Electronische Woordenbank van de Nederlandse Dialecten (eWND) (Electronical word data base of the Dutch dialects)