(no subject)

[woodface]

Some of you might know that Belgium officialy has three languages; Dutch, French and German. Now we can ignore the germans because they don't really play a role in our politics. Flanders and the Walloon provinces however have a very turbulent history. As was (and still is) the standard the nobility speaks French (this isn't a belgian phenomenon). So when our country was still young, politics mainly happened in French. It took ages before Dutch was recognised. At first some people wanted to make the whole of Belgium bilangual. Walloon however didn't like the idea so Belgium was split up; Flanders became Dutch, Walloon was French and the capital Brussels (which lies in the heart of Flanders) was bilangual.

However, the Walloon provinces don't like this much. They want Brussels to be completely French. Brabant, a flemish province was not so long ago torn in two parts; Flemish Brabant and Walloon-Barbant. More and more walloons move to Flanders and Brussels and the small region between Brussels and Walloon is slowly but steadily being inhabited by more and more French speaking citizens. I live in that region.

30 years ago it was decided that the constituency Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde should be seperated because this allowed that people could vote for French parties in Flanders which is against the constitution. For 30 years that verdict by the court of arbitration has been ignored. Now people have had enough because this is allowing the region to be frenchified. Mayors all over Flanders are boycotting the voting that will happen next month unless the constituency is finally split up. Of course the walloons don't like this and are demanding that Brussels is made completely French as compensation for the loss of something that is against our constitution.

I am outraged that they have the nerve to demand this. Brussels is already difficult right now. A lot of people refuse or just can't speak Dutch there while it is the capital of Flanders as well as it is of the whole country. I am sick and tired of these petty differences between Flanders and Walloon. I am tired of the demands of Walloon. Walloons aren't an "endangered minority" in Flanders. I challenge you to go try and shop in Dutch in Walloon. Whereas every time I go to my hometown I hear more and more French and they think it's bloody normal to get serviced in French in Flanders.

Bah

Comments

[seadancer.livejournal.com]

I never realised it was so complicated!

But of course every time the Brits are abroad we expect everyone to speak English!!

[woodface]

I think the problem is that the langual differences have been the foundation on which political structures were build. So the problems now arising around it have far deeper consequences than appears at first sight.

Bah, I hate politics.

[lydkami.livejournal.com]

language differences suck, more when there's one that was an 'empire' language and people that only speak that one language believe they have right and that that language is the best and should be the only spoken. totally sucks. (also a reason why people who is a native of english, french and spanish, just to point 3 really 'famous' ones, really have harder the learning other languages) *huggles* the language thing is really complicated and there's lot more close mind-ness than people think if they don't really live it. Hope something works out in the near future.

[woodface]

Thanksie *hugs*

[lydkami.livejournal.com]

you're welcome *hugs back*