About the future of the German dialects in Hungary

Éva Márkus

Eötvös Loránd University
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3571-8472

Ágnes Klein

University of Pécs
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6108-1914

Abstract

The current situation of German dialects in Hungary has been covered in several articles recently.
This article deals with the future of German dialects in Hungary in the minority school system. He examines how this cultural heritage can be passed on to the younger generation – against the background of fewer and fewer dialect speakers. However, both the curricula for the minority schools and the recommendations of minority organizations consider it important that children in the public education system speak the language of their ancestors and not just the standard variety of German. The authors also argue and advocate the development of modern teaching methods, especially platforms and multimedia teaching aids. These teaching aids, e.g. an online dialect children’s language database, make it easier for educators who do not speak or understand a German dialect themselves.

Keywords:

dialect, language teaching, primary schools of the minority