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).
Dutch 62.01%
Why do Belgians speak French and Dutch?
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 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.
Why is Belgium half French?
The main reason for Brussels being mainly French-speaking was the low social prestige of the Dutch language in Belgium during the 19th century and the severe discrimination of both Dutch as a language and of the Flemings.
Is Belgium mostly French?
Of the inhabitants of Belgium, roughly 59% belong to the Flemish Community, 40% to the French Community, and 1% to the German-speaking Community.
Why is it called Flemish?
Flemish as a name for the language was first used by the French (Flameng) around 1500, when the Flemish people called their language Diets. In Italian and Spanish, Flemish was referred to as Flamenco, which also referred to the Dutch language in the Netherlands.
Why is there no Belgian language?
History created the divisions and the lack of national identity in Belgium. In the 5th Century, the Germanic-speaking, barbarian Franks halted their invasion of the Roman Empire’s Latinized province of Gaul along the line of what is now Belgium, and that frontier, more or less, still divides one language from another.
Why is Belgium not a country?
As it is, Belgium is no longer a nation-state in any functional sense, but rather a “federation” of three different regions (Flanders, Wallonia and Greater Brussels) and of three different “linguistic communities” (Dutch, French and German).
Are Belgian people French or German?
Belgians are made up of two main linguistic and ethnic groups; the Dutch-speakers (called the Flemish) and the French-speakers (mostly Walloons), as well as a third tiny but constitutionally recognized group from two small German-speaking areas.
Is Brussels more French or Dutch?
Brussels is bilingual: French and Dutch are the official languages there. Yet Brussels is home to only a minority of Flemish people. This may sound strange, but the reason is simple. For centuries, Brussels was a Dutch-speaking city and today it is still the capital of Flanders.
Is Dutch same as Flemish?
What is the Dutch language? The Dutch language is a West Germanic language that is the national language of the Netherlands and, with French and German, one of the three official languages of Belgium. Dutch is also called Netherlandic or Dutch Nederlands; in Belgium it is called Flemish or Flemish Vlaams.
How did Brussels become French?
During the War of the Austrian Succession, between 1745 and 1749, Brussels was under French rule. Under these circumstances, especially after 1780, French became the adopted language of much of the Flemish bourgeoisie, who were later pejoratively labelled Franskiljons (loosely: little Frenchies).
What is Canada called in French?
Canada is translated in French by
Je voudrais l’envoyer au Canada. I would like to send it to Canada. Tu habites au Canada, donc tu es Canadien.
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 |
What is Belgium first language?
The primary language in Belgium is Dutch, spoken by approximately 60% of the population. The Flemish dialect is almost identical to the Dutch spoken across the border in the Netherlands, but some differences in vocabulary have led some to refer to the language colloquially as ‘Flemish’.
Do people in Belgium speak both Dutch and French?
Belgium is divided into three regions: Flanders in the north, the Brussels-Capital Region in the middle, and Wallonia in the south. To make matters a little more confusing, the Flemish speak Dutch but do not consider themselves Dutch, and the Walloons speak French but do not consider themselves French.
What percentage of Belgians speak both French and Dutch?
It is estimated that between 40% and 43% of Belgium are native French speakers and native Dutch speakers are between 57% à 60%, and less than 1% native German speakers.
Is Dutch or French more common in Belgium?
The most commonly spoken language in Belgium is Dutch, with around 60% of the entire population identifying as Dutch speakers, equating to approximately 6.5 million. The vast majority of these Dutch speakers live in Flanders, the region to the north of the country.
Is Belgium more French or Dutch?
Belgium is home to two main linguistic communities: the Dutch-speaking Flemish Community, which constitutes about 60 percent of the population, and the French-speaking Community, which constitutes about 40 percent of the population.
Do people in Belgium speak French or Dutch?
French is spoken by around 40% of Belgians as their primary tongue, while just 1% of the population speaks German as their first language. Many Belgians also speak one or more second languages. 16% speak Flemish Dutch as a second language, 49% speak French and 22% speak German. In fact, Belgium is well ahead of many EU countries when it comes
What is the official language of Belgium?
What Are The 3 Official Languages Of Belgium? British Broadcasting Corporation – Languages – Languages. Languages: French, Dutch, and German are official languages. More than a third of the population uses Wallon, the local variation of French. More than 60% of our population speaks Flemish at home, and Flemish is spoken in northern Germany.
Why does Belgium shine so brightly?
Why does Belgium shine so brightly? Belgium’s penchant for extravagant motorway lighting is suddenly in the spotlight thanks to pictures posted by French astronaut Thomas Pesquet. The images of Europe taken from the International Space Station (ISS) have notched up tens of thousands of reactions on Facebook. Belgium can be seen glowing more brightly than its neighbours.