National language of Belgium. See what "Languages ​​of Belgium" are in other dictionaries

The linguistic picture of Brussels is one of the most distinctive both in Belgium and in modern Europe. In the 19 communes that form the agglomeration modern city region Brussels capital (Brussels Capital Region) with an area of ​​161.38 km²... ... Wikipedia

Official languages ​​Dutch (>90%) Regional languages ​​West Frisian (2.50%), Limburgish (4.50%), Low Saxon dialects, English (FSU Islands), Papiamento (Bonaire) ... Wikipedia

The inscription is in the Swamp Cree language using the Canadian syllable ... Wikipedia

Belgian French (French: Le français de Belgique) is a regional variant of the French language in the kingdom of Belgium; one of the three official languages ​​spoken in the country, along with Dutch and German. Characterized by... ... Wikipedia

Verkhne German Self-name: Hochdeutsch Countries ... Wikipedia

- (Dutch: Taalstrijd in België, French: Problèmes communautaires en Belgique) has a long history dating back to antiquity. In the middle of the 3rd century, the border of the Roman Empire passed along the river. The Rhine, however, the river valley, as well as... ... Wikipedia

Official languages ​​of the European Union languages ​​that are official in the activities of the European Union (EU). The following languages ​​are officially used in European institutions with equal rights: English Bulgarian Hungarian Greek Danish Irish... ... Wikipedia

Languages ​​that are official in the activities of the European Union (EU). The following languages ​​are officially used in European institutions with equal rights: English Bulgarian Hungarian Greek Danish Irish Spanish Italian Latvian... ... Wikipedia

Inscription in Flemish road sign. There are two differences from standard Dutch: first, a grammatical simplification: in uitrit is written instead of in en uitrit (“entry” and “exit”). Secondly, instead of the Dutch word vrachtwagen... ... Wikipedia

Books

• Typological justifications in grammar. This book will be produced in accordance with your order using Print-on-Demand technology. The collection of articles “Typological Justifications in Grammar” was prepared for the 70th anniversary of the famous…

Belgium is a crossroads country trade routes between many European states- primarily England, Germany and France. In addition, Belgian goods are rightly famous for their high quality. In Flanders (Northern District of Belgium), foreign trade has always occupied a priority place. This is why Belgian education provides such wide opportunities for university graduates.

Languages ​​of Belgium. Is there a Belgian language?

Many applicants have a question about what other languages ​​​​are used by the residents of Belgium. Is it enough to only know Belgian to study in this country? In fact, in any educational institution in this country, education is conducted in English, French and Flemish. Educational institutions in Belgium they hesitated for a long time, not knowing which standard of education to prefer.

As a result, in those districts where the French-speaking population predominates, the palm was transferred to the French system. In the same places where the Flemish language is used more often - Dutch. In fact, the local population does not speak Belgian. Does he really exist? The answer will be no. People speak English, German, French and Dutch here. The Walloon language and the Brussels dialect of Flemish are also spoken.

What peoples live in Belgium?

For Belgium the expression “One country, one people” cannot be true. Here the majority of the population is made up of Walloon and Flemish groups. But Belgian is not used in this country. Walloons communicate mainly in a dialect of French, despite the fact that the majority also speak literary French.

The Flemings use a dialect of Dutch in everyday life. In fact, every Belgian village has its own dialect, so even within the same country, misunderstandings can occur between residents. Therefore, the Belgian language in Belgium is nothing more than a myth.

In order to receive workplace in Belgium, you must speak Flemish (Dutch) as well as French. You don't need to know the Belgian language, it doesn't exist. In fact, French-speaking Belgians have never been particularly enthusiastic about learning Flemish. The problem was aggravated by the fact that the Flemings always found it difficult to believe in this reluctance of the Walloons to learn the Dutch language.

Do Flemings need Belgian?

Representatives of the Flemish part are confident that they speak the original Dutch language. But in reality this is far from the case. Their language is a collection of motley dialects, and they are so different from each other that a resident of West Flanders is unlikely to be able to understand a Fleming from the Limburg district. There are no longer debates about what the Belgian language should be.

Schoolchildren learn Dutch, which should have a universal function as an everyday means of communication. Another difference between the Flemings and the real Dutch is their dislike of French. Instead of borrowed words of French origin, they try to use analogues from English or Dutch.

Walloon language

Once upon a time, the southern region of Belgium was home to the Celtic tribe of the Val. Its inhabitants created their own version of the French language. This dialect was a bizarre mixture of Celtic and Latin words. The Walloon language is therefore one of the dialects of French.

Currently, the pure Walloon language has been practically assimilated. The Walloons speak mainly French. Therefore, the question of where Belgian is spoken is not entirely correct. After all, two ethnic groups Living in Belgium, the Walloons and Flemings have their own dialects.

Brussels accent

Besides Flanders and Wallonia, Belgium has a third administrative District- Brussels. Most of its residents speak French. Currently, the most common dialect is the Brussels dialect, which is spoken local residents. It is interspersed with Spanish and French.

Language is usually the main problem for visitors to any country, but in Belgium language takes on special importance because it is a symbol of self-determination of different communities. Foreigners coming to Belgium are much more likely to know French than Dutch; Some visitors traveling to Flanders suggest that by speaking French they are at least partly adapting to Belgian culture. This seems logical, but in Flanders they will most likely be asked to speak English.

Visitors to Wallonia are unlikely to encounter such a problem, although those who speak Dutch may encounter a wall of misunderstanding in the Walloon countryside. In any case, just don't big number Belgians insist on the priority of their language to such an extent that it turns into impoliteness towards guests.

To the outside observer, language issues can be quite entertaining. Very often, Belgians speak to each other in a kind of neutral language, mixing French and Dutch words and adding English phrases to them.
Almost all advertisements are published in two languages. Each community has its own National dishes, special beers and cheeses with names in French or Flemish (it is very close to Dutch). Official forms - they are filled out in triplicate - must be printed in two languages. And sometimes even three, if you count German. The Eastern Cantons of Wallonia have a German-speaking community, adding diversity to this mix of languages.
There is no such linguistic minority in Flanders, although part of the population of East Flanders speaks a dialect that other Flemings have difficulty understanding. In addition, most Belgians speak English. German is also quite widely spoken.

Russian-Dutch phrasebook

Language in Belgium

There cannot be a clear answer to the question of what is the main language in Belgium. There are three communities in the country: Flemish, French and German. Respectively official language in Belgium it is French, Dutch, and German. Residents of the provinces belonging to the respective community speak one of them. In the past, the official language of Belgium was French. But already at the beginning of the 20th century after the end of the First World War, the Flemings living in the country began a movement for equal rights.

By the 60s of the last century, the main language of Belgium was no longer French. In 1967, the country's constitution was translated into Dutch. Since then, this language of Belgium has equal rights with French. As for German, it is represented only in the province of Liege. But, nevertheless, this language of Belgium is also represented at the state level. Therefore, we can say that today three peoples speaking different languages ​​coexist peacefully in the country.

The official alphabet of Belgium follows the Dutch one, which consists of 26 letters and is based on the Latin alphabet.

Perhaps, for many tourists, one of the most important questions will be what is the official language in Belgium.

Despite its small territory, this Kingdom has 3 official official languages. In addition, the indigenous uses a large number of other languages ​​and dialects.

. Its history is inseparable from the history of Europe as a whole. For a long time, this territory was inhabited by people - speakers of various languages ​​and cultural traditions. Their descendants still live here. They try to preserve the ancient heritage.

For any nation, language is a means of communication and more. This is a symbol of self-determination. Belgium has many different communities. Guests who come here nowadays Most people hear French spoken on the streets. The second official language is Dutch. In addition, many people here speak German and English.

For convenience, all signs, indexes and guides are written in two or more languages. Therefore, you won’t be able to get lost here. But problems may arise when communicating with the local population. Sometimes you can clearly hear that a person is speaking, for example, in English, but it is difficult to understand something. The reason is the peculiar pronunciation, which is characteristic of a particular dialect.

Commonwealth of Nations

The uniqueness of the peoples living in this small country is expressed not only in pronunciation. Each community has its own national dishes or beers. However, most often they differ only in name, which changes depending on the area in which you decide to try a traditional dish or drink.

Brussels, the capital of the state, has its own capital district. Historically, Belgium is divided into 2 large parts: Wallonia and Flanders.

Wallonia and Flanders

Each of them is divided into provinces. It is not difficult to guess that both have their own language and dialects. The Walloon region is predominantly French-speaking. Dutch is spoken in Flanders. But the capital district often uses French and German in communication.

The situation that exists today in Belgium with regard to official languages ​​did not appear immediately. According to statistics, the French-speaking population is only about 40%. Most of the inhabitants are Flemings. But for a long time French was considered the official language, and all official documents, including the constitution, were also written in French. This became the cause of antagonism within the country.

The Flemings have always used Flemish and Dutch for everyday communication. It cannot be said that all was well when they communicated with their French-speaking compatriots. The communities argued a lot and often. The indigenous people of the country felt like second-class citizens.

Over time, the Flemish language, under the influence of education and other factors, became more and more like a set of different dialects. It took a lot of effort to bring it into line with the literary norms of the Dutch language.

The Flemish Council for Culture decided that the language should be unified, and primacy was given to Dutch. This happened in 1973. And in 1980, it was the Dutch language that became one of the state languages Belgium.


In the eastern part of the country, residents speak German. This is a small percentage of the population. Of course, they understand their neighbors from other provinces, but all TV shows, newspapers and radio broadcasts are published exclusively in German.

What to do as a tourist

For those visiting this European country For tourists, philologists' disputes may turn out to be complex and uninteresting. It is important for them to see the cultural masterpieces left here by the ancient Romans and barbarians. In Belgium, like in any European country, there are attractions from the Middle Ages to the present day.

To make it easy to navigate, the names of stops, hotels, shops and road signs are written in several languages.

If you are interested in getting to know the local population and appreciating the uniqueness of traditional culture, you need to know that in addition to European peoples, Belgian gypsies also live here. They are called Yenishi and Manushi. The first are listed as French-speaking. The Manush communication style is considered similar to the Swiss dialect of German.

In general, to visit the country it is enough to understand the language of international communication - English. Every Belgian studies it starting from elementary school. All staff serving tourists and salespeople in stores also speak English. For the Kingdom of Belgium this has long been the norm.