Why do Belgium have two languages? DESPITE being a relatively small country, two major languages are spoken around Belgium.The diversity is due to the countries chequered history, with it constantly changing hands between various nations until independence from the Dutch in 1830.
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Why are there two languages in Belgium?
In 1830, the Belgians had enough of the Dutch king Willem I and his malarky, and declared themselves independent. The inhabitants of Wallonia, the region that is called ‘Wallonie’, speak French. Brussels, the capital, is officially bilingual: all signs are in both Dutch and French.
Why does Belgium not have its own language?
In Belgium you can speak any language you want.These languages are not spoken everywhere, because Belgium is subdivided into federated states. Each federated state has its own official language. Only the Brussels-Capital Region is bilingual.
Why does half of Belgium speak French?
The tension between the two regions only got more intense after Belgium gained independence in 1830 from the Netherlands. French became the official language, which highlighted existing class tensions between the nobility (who generally spoke French) and the Flemish (who were seen as lower-class).
Why do they speak Dutch in Belgium?
The main reasons for this are the strengthened economic position of Flanders and the problematic situation of heavy industry in Wallonia since the 1960s. The position of Standard Dutch as a general language has been reinforced at the expense of the previously almost exclusive use of the dialects as spoken languages.
Why does Belgium speak 3 languages?
Historically speaking, the country has had quite a wide variety of rulers, influencing how multilingual and multicultural Belgians are today. Due to their close proximity to these three countries, they have three official languages that divide Belgium into three main regions.
Does Belgium speak Flemish?
Official languages of Belgium: Dutch, French, and German. Brussels is a bilingual area where both Dutch and French have an official status.
| Flemish | |
|---|---|
| Native to | Belgium, Netherlands, France |
| Region | Flanders, Zeelandic Flanders, French Flanders |
| Ethnicity | Flemings |
| Native speakers | 6.5 million (2016) |
Do they speak Dutch in Belgium?
Dutch. Dutch is the most spoken primary language of Belgium and the official language of the Flemish Community and the Flemish Region (merged to Flanders). Along with French, it is an official language of the Brussels-Capital Region.
Can I live in Belgium speaking English?
Belgium has three official languages – English, Dutch, and French. English, however, is not the primary language they speak in the country. But even if it is not, a large percentage of the population speaks English. As such, you can speak the language in many situations all over Belgium.
What language does Kevin De Bruyne speak?
EnglishFrenchGermanDutch
Why did Belgium split from the Netherlands?
Although his policy was beneficial to the Belgian bourgeoisie, there was protest. The Catholics objected against the interference of the protestant king in clerical matters.Following this rising Belgium separated from the Northern Netherlands. A provisional government declared independence on October 4th, 1830.
Can a Dutch understand Afrikaans?
Although Afrikaans is a daughter of Dutch, Dutch speakers might take some time to understand the language but they can understand Afrikaans.The spelling is also different from the Dutch standard. The mutual intelligibility is more apparent in the written rather than the spoken form of Afrikaans and Dutch.
How did French get to Belgium?
The French Revolutionary wars led to Belgium becoming part of France in 1795, bringing the end of the semi-independence of areas which had belonged to the Catholic church.Belgium was neutral but its strategic location as a pathway to France made it an invasion target for Germany in 1914 and 1940.
How do you say hello in Belgium?
Most people in Belgium speak French, with a small portion of the Belgian population speaking Dutch (Flemish).
Belgian Phrases.
| Hello: Salut | Pronounced: Sal oo |
|---|---|
| Good Evening: Bonsoir | Pronounced: Bon swar |
| Good Morning/Afternoon: Bonjor | Pronounced: Bon jor |
| Thank You: Merci | Pronounced: Mer see |
How is Belgian French different?
Overall, the lexical differences between Standard French and Belgian French are minor.The use of septante for “seventy” and nonante for “ninety”, in contrast to Standard French soixante-dix (literally “sixty-ten”) and quatre-vingt-dix'(“four-twenty-ten”).
What language does Canada speak?
FrenchEnglishCanada has 2 official languages, French and English. Across Canada, you’ll hear many other unofficial languages in restaurants, on buses and at school. In fact, more than 200 languages from around the world are spoken.
What is Belgium first language?
Official Languages: French, Dutch and German. Wallon, the local variant of French, is used by 33% of population. Flemish is used by more than 60% of the population, and is spoken in the northern part of the country. The languages learned at school are officially labelled French and Dutch.
Can Dutch understand Flemish?
In essence, a Dutch speaker will be able to understand a Flemish speaker and respond back, and the same goes for the opposite.Dutch people also often mention that the Flemish dialect sounds softer. This is because the Dutch language makes use of stronger tones.
Are Dutch and German similar?
The lexical similarity between German and Dutch is roughly as similar as that between Spanish and Italian. While German and Dutch are quite similar in terms of vocabulary, they do differ significantly grammatically. This is because Dutch has evolved to have a ‘simpler’ grammar structure for a learner.
Is Frisian Dutch?
Frisian (Frysk) is a Germanic language, spoken by an ethnic minority known as the Frisians in the northern regions of the Netherlands and Germany. It is similar to Dutch, German, Danish and most similar to English. In fact, Frisian is, along with Scottish, the closest living language to English.
Are Flemish and Dutch mutually intelligible?
Dutch and Flemish are actually the same. It’s like the difference between British English and, let’s say, Australian English. There are some pronunciation differences and some vocabulary that is different, but we understand each other perfectly.
