Is Brussels French or Flemish?
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.
What is the difference between Belgian and Flemish?
Belgium is one of those special countries that have three official languages: Dutch, French and German. After all, Flemish is defined in the Oxford Dictionary as the “Dutch language spoken in Northern Belgium”. So, the terms ‘Flemish’ and ‘Belgian Dutch’ actually refer to the same language.
Which part of Belgium is Flemish?
The Flemish Region or Flanders (Dutch: Vlaams Gewest or Vlaanderen) occupies the northern part of Belgium. It has a surface area of 13,625 km2 (5,261 sq mi), or 44.4% of Belgium, and is divided into 5 provinces which contain a total of 300 municipalities. The official language is Dutch.
Which language is spoken by 20% capital of Brussels?
Dutch is spoken by the rest 20 percent of the population but there are sometimes other languages such as English and German are also spoken. But, French and Dutch are the two major languages used.
What was Belgium called before 1830?
Burgundian and Habsburg Netherlands “Belgium” and “Flanders” were the first two common names used for the Burgundian Netherlands which was the predecessor of the Austrian Netherlands, the predecessor of modern Belgium.
Can Dutch speakers 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.
Is Belgium more French or Dutch?
In fact, if you wanted to be anyone in Belgium, you had to learn to speak French even if you grew up speaking Dutch. However, the majority of the people in Flanders, a slim majority of the population Belgian population as a whole, speaks Dutch (or Flemish).
What are the people in Belgium like?
Belgian people are generally known to be polite, softly-spoken, and extremely well-mannered. In fact, men will even rise sometimes when a woman enters the room to show respect; or stand on public transport until women are seated. With such a big emphasis placed on manners, how you conduct yourself during a date is extremely important.
What is Belgium called?
The inhabitants of Belgium are called Belgians in English. Dutch: Belgen. French: les Belges. German: Belgier. The people who live in the northern, Dutch-speaking part of the country are called the Flemish or Flemings . Those from the southern, French-speaking, part are called Walloons .
What are the elements of Belgium?
Safeguarding the Carillon Culture. The Carillon culture of Belgium is the art of using bells to make music.