Sa leit it lân derhinne - Mercator Research

Sa leit it lân derhinne: It Frysk yn wet, bestjoer en kennisfjild

Fryslân from a bird's eye view: The Frisian language in law, governance, and knowledge infrastructure

Ydwine R. Scarse & Jan Ybema

Published online: September 2024

Available

Sa leit it lân derhinne: It Frysk yn wet, bestjoer en kennisfjild

Fryslân is in meartalige provinsje: it Nederlânsk en it Frysk binne beide offisjele talen. Dat makket it provinsjaal bestjoer fan Fryslân bysûnder. Gjin oare provinsje yn Nederlân hat sa’n wiidfiemjend taal- en kultuerbelied mei safolle eigen foech as Fryslân.

Dat betsjut ek dat Provinsjale Steaten in bysûndere ferantwurdlikheid hawwe om de provinsje te kontrolearjen op de útfiering fan dat belied en it ryk skerp te hâlden as it giet om it neikommen fan ferplichtings foar it Frysk oer dy’t Nederlân oangien is fia ôfspraken, nasjonale wetten en Europeeske ferdraggen.

Mar wat stiet der eins yn dy wetten, wat binne dy Europeeske ferplichtings no krekt en hoe is it eins regele mei it Frysk yn it ûnderwiis? De juridyske beskerming, bestjoerlike ôfspraken en ynstitúsjonele ynbêding fan it Frysk kinne op it earste each wat ûnoersichtlik wêze.

Dit ynformaasjeboekje jout dêrom in hânsum oersjoch fan de wetten, ôfspraken en ynstellings dy’t mei it Frysk te krijen hawwe. It hat as doel om nuttige ynformaasje te jaan foar beliedsmakkers, bestjoerders, folksfertsjintwurdigers en oare belangstellenden.

Fryslân from a bird's eye view: The Frisian language in law, governance, and knowledge infrastructure

Fryslân (English: Friesland) is a bilingual province where both Dutch and West Frisian (Frysk) are official languages. The Provincial Government of Fryslân (Frisian: Provinsje Fryslân) is unique in the Netherlands due to its extensive language and cultural policies and con¬siderable jurisdiction.

A key aspect of the Frisian Provincial Council’s (Frisian: Provinsjale Steaten) role is overseeing the implementation of these policies by the Provincial Executive (Frisian: Deputearre Steaten). However, Frisian language and cultural legislation is not only decided on at the provincial level but is also affected by decisions at the national level. The Dutch government has committed to fulfilling various obligations regarding Frisian through governmental agreements, national laws, and European treaties, and it is the Provincial Council’s responsibility to monitor the implementation of these obligations.

But what exactly are these European obligations, what is actually stated in these laws and agreements, and how is Frisian education organised? At first glance, the legal protection, administrative agreements, and institu¬tional embedding of Frisian can be somewhat unclear.

This booklet therefore aims to clarify the situation by providing an overview of the laws, agreements, and institutions related to Frisian. It is intended to provide valuable information for policymakers, administrators, public representatives, and other interested parties.

How to cite this publication

Scarse, Y.R., & Ybema, J. (2024). Sa leit it lân derhinne: It Frysk yn wet, bestjoer en kennisfjild. Mercator Europeesk Kennissintrum foar Meartaligens en Taallearen. https://www.mercator-research.eu/frysk/

Scarse, Y.R., & Ybema, J. (2024). Fryslân from a bird's eye view: The Frisian language in law, governance, and knowledge infrastructure. Mercator European Research Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning. https://www.mercator-research.eu/frysk/

References / Referinsjes

Council of Europe. (2022). European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages: Seventh periodical report presented to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe in accordance with Article 15 of the Charter – Netherlands. Council of Europe. https://rm.coe.int/netherlandspr7-en/1680a2abe8

Council of Europe. (2023). Fourth Opinion on the Netherlands. Council of Europe. https://rm.coe.int/4th-op-netherlands-en/1680ac509f

Inspectie van het Onderwijs. (2019). Sizzen is neat, maar dwaan is in ding: Fries in het primair en voortgezet onderwijs [Less talk, more action: Frisian in primary and secondary education]. Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap. https://www.onderwijsinspectie.nl/documenten/themarapporten/2019/12/05/fries-in-het-primair-en-voortgezet-onderwijs

Klinkenberg, E.L., Stefan, M.H., & Jonkman, R.J. (2018). Taal yn Fryslân. De folgjende generaasje [Language in Friesland. The next generation]. Provinsje Fryslân. https://pure.knaw.nl/portal/nl/publications/taal-yn-fryslân-de-folgjende-generaasje-2018

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Legal references / Wetlike en bestjoerlike referinsjes

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Bestjoersôfspraak Fryske taal en kultuer 2024–2028 [Covenant on Frisian Language and Culture 2024-2028]. (2024, April 2). https://cuatro.sim-cdn.nl/fryslan/uploads/1379_bftk_met_omslag.pdf?cb=fxHEhc-2

Convenant inzake de Nederlandse erkenning van de regionale Nedersaksische taal [Covenant regarding the Dutch recognition of the regional Low Saxon language]. (2018, October 10). https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/documenten/convenanten/2018/10/10/convenant-nedersaksisch

Council of Europe. (1992). European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages,
ETS No. 148. https://www.coe.int/en/web/european-charter-regional-or-minority-languages/text-of-the-charter

Council of Europe. (1995). Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, ETS No. 157. https://www.coe.int/en/web/conventions/cets-number-/-abridged-title-known?module=treaty-detail&treatynum=157

Instellingsbesluit Consultatief Orgaan Fries 2010, BWBR0027230 [Decree to Establish Consultative Body Frisian 2010]. (2010, February 18).
Retrieved September 24, 2024, from https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0027230/2010-02-18

Wet gebruik Friese taal, BWBR0034047 [Use of Frisian Act]. (2014, January 1). Retrieved September 24, 2024, from https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0034047/2014-01-01/

Wet op het primair onderwijs, BWBR0003420 [Primary Education Act]. (1981, July 2). Retrieved September 24, 2024, from https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0003420/2023-01-01/0

Wet op het voortgezet onderwijs 2020, BWBR0044212 [Secondary Education Act
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