Is it true that as part of the citizenship, the would-be citizens have to look at scenes like two homosexuals holding hands and a prostitute offering herself, while their reactions are observed and recorded by the test administrators? My friend told me that and I'm having a hard time believing that. I could find any info on the internet, probably because there's more of it in Dutch...
The Dutch Citizenship Test
It is true. They also have nude scene, where girls flashing their you know what.
This was done, somewhat to Muslims think twice about becoming a citizen.
This was done, somewhat to Muslims think twice about becoming a citizen.
Hmmm, I'm in two minds about this. On the one hand, it is disgusting and degenerate and a clear example of liberal PC brainwashing. On the other hand, nobody wants Muslim fanatics coming in and thinking they own the place.... A tough question indeed.
Which of the two is worse?
Which of the two is worse?
As I myself am a Belgian citizen, I have no clue. In Belgium you can get citizenship even without knowing any of our national languages. Immigrants over here are considered great voting cattle, because they're more inclined to take media propaganda for granted.
I'm an American who has Belgian citizenship yet cannot speak Flemish, French, or German. Wooottt.
Regarding Dutch citizenship, I have no idea if that is true but if it is, that is hilarious.
God.
Regarding Dutch citizenship, I have no idea if that is true but if it is, that is hilarious.
God.
We speak Dutch. It's our official language. Le Soir and La Libre Belgique where you get most information about Belgium from indirectly calls our language Flemish, but almost everyone calls our language Dutch.
Flemish Dutch (when not speaking dialect) is not much different from Dutch from the Netherland (also called Northern Dutch) than General Austrian German or American English for that matter.
<< Le Soir and La Libre Belgique where you get most information about Belgium from indirectly calls our language Flemish >>
- No, honestly, they always and only call it 'Néerlandais".
When we Francophones say "Flamand", it really means some severely unintelligible Flemish dialect.
- No, honestly, they always and only call it 'Néerlandais".
When we Francophones say "Flamand", it really means some severely unintelligible Flemish dialect.
<< Is it true that as part of the citizenship, the would-be citizens have to look at scenes like two homosexuals holding hands and a prostitute offering herself, while their reactions are observed and recorded by the test administrators? >>
-- Well, the Dutch have some degenerate tendencies.
On the other hand the Flemish are generally strictly straight funfalentalist Catholics.
It's somewhat like the sort of difference between Bavaria and Hamburg.
-- Well, the Dutch have some degenerate tendencies.
On the other hand the Flemish are generally strictly straight funfalentalist Catholics.
It's somewhat like the sort of difference between Bavaria and Hamburg.
<< My friend told me that and I'm having a hard time believing that. I could find any info on the internet, probably because there's more of it in Dutch... >>
Either that, or maybe it's one of those urban legends?
Either that, or maybe it's one of those urban legends?
<<No, honestly, they always and only call it 'Néerlandais".>>
Depends. Sometimes they do call it "le flamand". I cannot find the article where they did, but they did (read it one month ago, 100% positive). I may find it later on. It's a fact though, that most international media use francophone newspapers as source. As a result you get misunderstandings like following:
http://lvb.net/item/5613
I have also talked to francophones who have been taught by their teacher we are to speak 'flamand' whereon he added 'et non néerlandais!' I don't get it why this mentality exist, but it does sadly...
Not too long ago the Belgian catholic church was heavily against Dutch linuistic union and Dutch literature, because the General Dutch language developed in the period of Reformation. In the past many Flemish called their language 'Flemish' for this very reason only (they've been drilled this lie by their teachers and pastors).
<<When we Francophones say "Flamand", it really means some severely unintelligible Flemish dialect.>>
Not always, especially Bruxellois have the tendency to call it 'le flamand'. Also, it's true dialect is accepted in the neerlandosphere, but that also includes the Netherlands.
Most people, except for poor old people who didn't have received education, are able to code switch to General Dutch. Dialects, though very alive and used most of the time, are also becoming more uniform as education and mobility advances.
The intermediary language which is a mix between Brabantian and General Dutch, is understandable by everyone who's able to speak Dutch. It's like Austrian German. But, they're also able and most WILL use very basic Dutch if needed.
But there are indeed people who don't code switch, happens in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands as well. This is typical to Germanic people. In that respect I can tell you British are also very stubborn. ;)
Still, among these acquainted with Dutch no communication problems exist.
In this case I can also say: "Personnellemang, j'èmme bieng l'aksang du Midi." I just mean...
<<On the other hand the Flemish are generally strictly straight funfalentalist Catholics.
It's somewhat like the sort of difference between Bavaria and Hamburg.>>
Flemish deconverted and became very secular soon after the Dutch, but not long ago (Northern) Dutch (from above the rivers) were Bible beating calvinist dressed in sober black too. Still, the power of the church vanished throughout whole western Europe since the 60s (even though you French are champions in being secularists, I admit ;)) Nowadays you can say that our culture is still catholic though, but it only shows in our introvert behaviour. This doesn't mean we're prudes (no Belgian, francophone OR neerlandophone is nowadays).
You can better compare us with Austria, and compare North Brabant (also catholic and very simular to us) with Bavaria. ;)
But indeed, I cannot blame all francophones when some single journalist calls our language Flemish. Still, internationally people seem unable to grasp our language is Dutch.
Depends. Sometimes they do call it "le flamand". I cannot find the article where they did, but they did (read it one month ago, 100% positive). I may find it later on. It's a fact though, that most international media use francophone newspapers as source. As a result you get misunderstandings like following:
http://lvb.net/item/5613
I have also talked to francophones who have been taught by their teacher we are to speak 'flamand' whereon he added 'et non néerlandais!' I don't get it why this mentality exist, but it does sadly...
Not too long ago the Belgian catholic church was heavily against Dutch linuistic union and Dutch literature, because the General Dutch language developed in the period of Reformation. In the past many Flemish called their language 'Flemish' for this very reason only (they've been drilled this lie by their teachers and pastors).
<<When we Francophones say "Flamand", it really means some severely unintelligible Flemish dialect.>>
Not always, especially Bruxellois have the tendency to call it 'le flamand'. Also, it's true dialect is accepted in the neerlandosphere, but that also includes the Netherlands.
Most people, except for poor old people who didn't have received education, are able to code switch to General Dutch. Dialects, though very alive and used most of the time, are also becoming more uniform as education and mobility advances.
The intermediary language which is a mix between Brabantian and General Dutch, is understandable by everyone who's able to speak Dutch. It's like Austrian German. But, they're also able and most WILL use very basic Dutch if needed.
But there are indeed people who don't code switch, happens in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands as well. This is typical to Germanic people. In that respect I can tell you British are also very stubborn. ;)
Still, among these acquainted with Dutch no communication problems exist.
In this case I can also say: "Personnellemang, j'èmme bieng l'aksang du Midi." I just mean...
<<On the other hand the Flemish are generally strictly straight funfalentalist Catholics.
It's somewhat like the sort of difference between Bavaria and Hamburg.>>
Flemish deconverted and became very secular soon after the Dutch, but not long ago (Northern) Dutch (from above the rivers) were Bible beating calvinist dressed in sober black too. Still, the power of the church vanished throughout whole western Europe since the 60s (even though you French are champions in being secularists, I admit ;)) Nowadays you can say that our culture is still catholic though, but it only shows in our introvert behaviour. This doesn't mean we're prudes (no Belgian, francophone OR neerlandophone is nowadays).
You can better compare us with Austria, and compare North Brabant (also catholic and very simular to us) with Bavaria. ;)
But indeed, I cannot blame all francophones when some single journalist calls our language Flemish. Still, internationally people seem unable to grasp our language is Dutch.
In the French film fragment they call us néerlandophones, so it's all good. I guess it's still a very old echo of the "good old times". lol
Less good is that they have taken the maps from a wallingant website. lol. Always check your sources when talking about Belgium. Anyway, I'm being an annoying spambot.