“The Luxembourgish Language(s)” exhibition, on display in Steers Pavilion from Sept. 28 through Oct. 9, explores how multiple languages shape everyday life in Luxembourg.
In Luxembourg, multilingualism is part of everyday life.
Wedged between Germany, France and Belgium, the small European nation has three official languages – Luxembourgish, French and German – while English and Portuguese are also widely spoken, reflecting the country’s large immigrant population and international workforce.
This fall, an exhibition at Elon University will offer the campus community a closer look at how those languages intersect with the country’s history, culture, education and migration.
“The Luxembourgish Language(s)” exhibition will be on display in the lobby of Steers Pavilion from Monday, Sept. 28, through Friday, Oct. 9, before moving to Sato Commons from Nov. 8-12.
Across 10 poster exhibits, the exhibition traces Luxembourg’s linguistic story and examines how multilingualism functions in daily life. QR codes connect visitors with interactive experiences, while a touchscreen display offers additional videos and activities.
The exhibition was developed by the Zenter fir d’Lëtzebuerger Sprooch (ZLS), a Luxembourg-based language research and policy institute supported by the country’s Ministry of Culture.
Derek Lackaff, associate professor of visual communication, coordinated Elon’s hosting of the exhibition. His interest in Luxembourg includes what he describes as the country’s “linguistic landscape” – the ways language appears throughout the visual world, from signs and packaging to billboards and digital interfaces.
It is a subject Lackaff also incorporates into his Contemporary Practices in Visual Communication course, where students examine how visual designers approach text and typography in multilingual settings.
“The goal of the course is to expose students to new ideas and opportunities in design,” Lackaff said. “It uses language as a bridge to connect visual design to bigger, interesting questions about communication and culture.”
Students in the course consider both local and international examples, providing a broader view of how designers communicate in spaces where multiple languages coexist.
Lackaff worked with ZLS sociolinguist Sarah Muller to bring the exhibition to Elon.
“We are happy to see this interest in our exhibition on the Luxembourgish language and languages in Luxembourg.” Muller explained. “We hope the Elon University community enjoys learning more about the Luxembourgish context, and the exhibition also offers much more beyond that: Visitors can increase their awareness of multilingual societies in general and the sometimes unusual contexts of small languages. Such insights are relevant well beyond the Luxembourgish or even a European context.”
The exhibition has drawn support from across the university, with co-sponsors including the Department of Visual Communication, School of Communications, Global Education Center, Department of World Languages and Cultures, and German Studies Program.
For Lackaff, that broad campus involvement reflects the exhibition’s connections to larger conversations surrounding global education, culture and communication.
“The exhibition themes connect well to many conversations we are having around campus and with our students,” Lackaff said.
The exhibition will also complement several campus celebrations and hosted events this fall, including National Humanities Week, the Mountain Interstate Forum on Languages & Cultures and International Education Week.