In this project, I investigate the immigrant minority language that the Dutch settlers on the Danish island of Amager (arrival 1521) developed and continued to speak for over 300 years – Amager Dutch. In order to finally answer questions about Amager Dutch’s characteristics and longevity, I conduct a linguistic and socio-linguistic analysis of the language. The linguistic analysis combines classical historical-linguistic theory with new digital tools to establish the lexical and grammatical characteristics of Amager Dutch, track its development throughout its lifespan, and map its relationship to other Germanic languages (Dutch, Low German and Danish). Using this data and hitherto unexamined archival material, the socio-linguistic analysis explores a religious variety of Amager Dutch and documents the extent to which this variety was supported by the Danish and Amager authorities and institutions, thus shedding light on the language’s longevity.
