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What is so similar between the UK and France ?
" I find that britain and France are similar. i live in Belgium, nearby France, and I have been in Ireland and London: I found those countries very similar with Wallonie (where I live). "
you live in Belgium, so it is a probability that the places of France that you know better is Nord-pas-de-Calais region, which is very similar to Belgium, and quite similar to Britain, in its climate, architecture, people look, beer drinking, etc. but on the other side this region, which historically have been quite appart of the rest of France, with flemish influences is very exotic to most french people for other places.
From a french point of view, UK is the most different country of its neighbours, especially on a cultural point of view (it is not even really a neighbour since it does not have borders with, contrary to Spain, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Monaco, Andorra, Luxembourg )
But you're right, both countries are European, so share similarities that European countries can share.
This discussion is since nearly all the time of the existence of Belgium (since 1831). flanders would like to split up because they're fed up of to must give money to Wallonia, and they hate the french-speakers. Of course, in wallonie the people hate the flemish as well (many people, not all but there's little friednship).
The Netherlands would like if Flanders would join them I think, but many flemish wouldn't like to be together with Holland: there are cultural differences. Maybe France would like Wallonie to be in their country, but the most of Walloons don't want this at all.
The extreme Right-wing flemish party Vlaams blok / Belang promote this split-up, but they would lose Brussels, so maybe it's why they didn't split up.Also, the Prime Minister is very against those extremeist and force them to shut up :-)
Personally, I don't think that Belgium will split up, but that this arguement will continue eternally. It function quite well with the spearate communities although it's a quite bureaucratic system to have 5 parliaments in one little country of only 10 millions LOL!!
I was replying Guest the message at 7:42pm
you're right, both countries are European, so share similarities that European countries can share
That's the point. Every European country has similarities, so each Euopean country has something similar to Britain and France. nor less, no more. That's why the forum question is idiotic
>>you live in Belgium, so it is a probability that the places of France that you know better is Nord-pas-de-Calais region, which is very similar to Belgium, and quite similar to Britain, in its climate, architecture, people look, beer drinking, etc. but on the other side this region, which historically have been quite appart of the rest of France, with flemish influences is very exotic to most french people for other places.<<
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I'm walloon, not flemish!! I live in the south-east, so nearby the departement ardennes, not so nearby Nord-pas-de -Calais. But, yes, our climate is similar with north France and southern England. The people look very similar, more alike that the people in Holland who are very taller.
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>>From a french point of view, UK is the most different country of its neighbours, especially on a cultural point of view (it is not even really a neighbour since it does not have borders with, contrary to Spain, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Monaco, Andorra, Luxembourg )<<
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For us, Luxembourg is only half another country. Italy, for example, is exotic and far away but britain is our nieghbour, although as you wrote, has another culture.
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>>But you're right, both countries are European, so share similarities that European countries can share.<<<
Yes, it's what I meaned.
"For us, Luxembourg is only half another country."
Pauline, what do you mean by this? ^^^
Also, I have a question about the language situation there? Can most of the Flemish people speak French as well? Can most of the Wallonia people speak Dutch?
And is it true that Brussels is a mostly Francophone city?
Personally I love Belgium. I think it loses a lot of charm if it splits up. I'm greatly intrigued by the federalism situation there.
"For us, Luxembourg is only half another country."
Pauline, what do you mean by this? ^^^ <<
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I mean that it's not like to go abroad when you go to Luxembourg. For example, before the euro, in Luxembourg and Belgium were the belgian francs, also, in Belgium we've a province called Luxembourg. So, it doesn't seems like completely another (spearated) country from Belgium, only half foreign.
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>>Also, I have a question about the language situation there? Can most of the Flemish people speak French as well? Can most of the Wallonia people speak Dutch?<<
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I think that many flemish people can speak french, but not all, and I think that now they prefer english. Few of walloons can speak dutch, except the people who live nearby flanders. (I can speak dutch very well, but I made more effort that usually the people make).
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>>And is it true that Brussels is a mostly Francophone city?<<
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Yes, it's true. Officially it's the bilingual area, but in reality it's predominantly francophone.
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>>Personally I love Belgium. I think it loses a lot of charm if it splits up. I'm greatly intrigued by the federalism situation there.<<
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It's nice that you love Belgium!!! I hope as well that it won't split up!!! Socially and politcally wallonia would not be compatible with France, and without Flanders I doubt that wallonia can independantly continue. But I think that the most of the flemish think this as well of the Netherlands, so I don't anticipate it will split up. Truly I hope it.
Thanks for the responses. Now I understand what you mean by Belgium and Luxembourg. The two countries do indeed to have a lot of current and former ties.
What is so similar between the UK and France? Hopefully, nothing. Can you imagine Mick Jagger, Pete Townsend, or Ozzie Osborn coming from France?............ah, .....NO!
<<What is so similar between the UK and France? Hopefully, nothing.>>
I agree: Nothing.
Mick Jagger, Pete Townsend, or Ozzie Osborn
what great genius....
one is on continent, the other on a island(s)
one is a republic, the other a monachy
one is catholic, the other protestant
one speak a romance language, the other a germanic one
one opens on the mediterranean, the other on the north sea
one drive on the right, the other on the left
one use the Euro, the other use pounds
one has usually social views, the other has usually liberal views
one drinks and produce wines, the other drinks beers
etc...
good question: what could be so similar ? really, I don't see. those are probably among the most distant "neighbour" countries within the EU.
appart what is common to most countries of western Europe (Spain Portugal, France, Belgium, Netherlands, UK,etc.) : being situated along the Atlantic ocean and having being empires and having colonized the Americas ?
" one is on continent, the other on a island(s)
one is a republic, the other a monachy
one is catholic, the other protestant
one speak a romance language, the other a germanic one
one opens on the mediterranean, the other on the north sea
one drive on the right, the other on the left
one use the Euro, the other use pounds
one has usually social views, the other has usually liberal views
one drinks and produce wines, the other drinks beers "
we just have to replace the two compared countries with France and Italy to see the difference...
one is on the continent, the other is on the continent
one is a republic, the other is a republic
one is catholic, the other is catholic
one speaks a romance language, the other speaks a romance language
one opens on the mediterranean, the other opens on the mediterranean
one drives on the right, the other drives on the right
one use the Euro, the other use the Euro
one has usually social views, the other has usually social views
one drinks and produce wines, the other drinks and produce wines
etc.
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