Does everyone in Belgium does speak both French and Flemish?
Belgium languages
To what extent do the average person know? Surely everyone can at least understand the other language, maybe not speak fluently?
there are two very different Belgiums (and also a little German-speaking part). One speaks Felmish (Dutch), and the other speak french. Only Brussels region is a bit more bilingual, with a hug e french speaking majority. since french is the majority languge in Brussels it is the lingua franca there and most people speak it, flemish speakers included.
there are also flemish speakers in France: Les Flandres Françaises (Dunkerque for example). Those people are bilingual and speak both except the new generations (30 years old and after).
to guest (Thu Nov 08, 2007 7:55 am GMT)
Another point is the fact you wrote there are 2 different Belgiums. This is wrong, there is only ONE belgium witch is divided in 2 big parts (a little 3rd with the german speaking people), the Flemmish part and Walloon part.
Belgium is and has always been like that, Walloony is not the Belgium but a part of it, the same applies for the Flanders.
Another point is the fact you wrote there are 2 different Belgiums. This is wrong, there is only ONE belgium witch is divided in 2 big parts (a little 3rd with the german speaking people), the Flemmish part and Walloon part.
Belgium is and has always been like that, Walloony is not the Belgium but a part of it, the same applies for the Flanders.
Yes, but new generations in Dunkerque are not interested in speaking Flemish, it is useless.
Actually flemish(dutch) is very useful for employment in Belgium and of course the Netherlands. Monolingual french speaking belgians are having trouble getting jobs and there is a lot of unemployment in Wallonia. Speaking dutch makes you much more competitive...
Dear Guest,
JLK is right, many announces for jobs in france require the use of french and flemish. So Guest, as you can notice, the use of flemmish is not so useless...I don't think you rellay know the situation of Belgium and the flemmish and Walloony. Especially when you say there are 2 Belgiums. Would you say there are 4 Switzerlands? There are 4 Spains?
This shows your igorance of the subject.
I don't understand your post: "Yes, but new generations in Dunkerque are not interested in speaking Flemish, it is useless."
Tha is what i said on my earlier post, except i never said it is useless.
Cna you argue please? What do you mean by useless? A language is not like an old card, computer... a language is not useless or usefull! It depends onn the situation! Flemmish is spoken in the Netherlands, Belgium, South Africa, and a part of France.
If you think about the french, it is useless in UK, USA....
So, saying a language is useless means you don't have a clue of the situation. You are ignorant and speak only in terms of cliches.
JLK is right, many announces for jobs in france require the use of french and flemish. So Guest, as you can notice, the use of flemmish is not so useless...I don't think you rellay know the situation of Belgium and the flemmish and Walloony. Especially when you say there are 2 Belgiums. Would you say there are 4 Switzerlands? There are 4 Spains?
This shows your igorance of the subject.
I don't understand your post: "Yes, but new generations in Dunkerque are not interested in speaking Flemish, it is useless."
Tha is what i said on my earlier post, except i never said it is useless.
Cna you argue please? What do you mean by useless? A language is not like an old card, computer... a language is not useless or usefull! It depends onn the situation! Flemmish is spoken in the Netherlands, Belgium, South Africa, and a part of France.
If you think about the french, it is useless in UK, USA....
So, saying a language is useless means you don't have a clue of the situation. You are ignorant and speak only in terms of cliches.
the official languages of Belgium are: Dutch (and not Flemish) and French (and not Waloon), but only Brussels is bilingual.
Compare to Canada: official languages are French and English, but only New Brunswick is bilingual.
Compare to Canada: official languages are French and English, but only New Brunswick is bilingual.
nico : « Another point is the fact you wrote there are 2 different Belgiums. This is wrong, there is only ONE belgium witch is divided in 2 big parts (a little 3rd with the german speaking people), the Flemmish part and Walloon part. »
Il y a aussi une troisième Belgique : Bruxelles, qui n'est ni flamande ni wallonne.
Il y a aussi une troisième Belgique : Bruxelles, qui n'est ni flamande ni wallonne.
There are 4 Belgiums:
Walloons which speak French
Flemish speakers
Brussels, the only bilingual zone in Belgium
The tiny German community
Walloons which speak French
Flemish speakers
Brussels, the only bilingual zone in Belgium
The tiny German community
Guest :
« There are 4 Belgiums:
Walloons which speak French
Flemish speakers
Brussels, the only bilingual zone in Belgium
The tiny German community ».
Et même davantage ! En Wallonie il y a aussi les francophones qui parlent wallon et ceux qui ne le parlent pas, mais aussi les francophones qui parlent picard et ceux qui ne le parlent pas (en plus des Wallons germanophones maternels).
« There are 4 Belgiums:
Walloons which speak French
Flemish speakers
Brussels, the only bilingual zone in Belgium
The tiny German community ».
Et même davantage ! En Wallonie il y a aussi les francophones qui parlent wallon et ceux qui ne le parlent pas, mais aussi les francophones qui parlent picard et ceux qui ne le parlent pas (en plus des Wallons germanophones maternels).
Вы думаете, что две части Бельгии скоро расстанутся друг с другом? Или это просто вопрос цены горючего? Вы думаете, что нидерланский язык хорошо относится к проблемам лингвистского звездообразования?
http://wikitravel.org/en/Belgium#Economy
Read that article to see the significance of dutch knowledge in getting a job in Belgium. It should also be pointed out that the economy in Wallonia and France is very poor at the moment,while the economy in Flanders and the Netherlands is doing well.
Read that article to see the significance of dutch knowledge in getting a job in Belgium. It should also be pointed out that the economy in Wallonia and France is very poor at the moment,while the economy in Flanders and the Netherlands is doing well.
Economy in France is better than in Wallonia, and Sarkozy will give it a boost. It is ridiculous to say that young people in Dunkerque must learn Flemish in order to find a job . Northern France is rich and they can always work in Paris where no other language appart from French is need and it is one of the most prosperous cities in Europe.