‘Met mijn voeten in de klei’ – With My Feet in the Clay: The Impact of a Music Performance in a Local Variety of Low Saxon

When speakers of a small language switch to a dominant language, the cultural sector sometimes remains a last bastion of use and a token of a minoritised identity. In the north-eastern parts of the Netherlands, some artists perform in the local variety of Low Saxon. Since this variety is considered stigmatised and in clear decline, it is timely to investigate the potential impact of music performances on the audience’s language attitudes with the question: How does a music performance in Gronings affect the audience’s attitudes towards the language? To what extent can live performances be taken into account for language revitalisation work? This study highlights the potential increased awareness of participants towards a local linguistic identity as well as the complex feelings of attachment towards it. It investigates consequences such as expansion of vocabulary and actions such as a willingness to use or learn Low Saxon after a positive musical experience. The study uses mixed methods of analysis with quantitative data collected through questionnaires and interviews with audience members. The research sheds light on the importance of a cultural community of practice which functions as a safe space for language revitalisation.