jmcd wrote:If Belgium wants to have any semblance of national unity, they need to encourage the Walloons and Flemish to learn each other's language. And German. Heck, it would be better if they would learn each others' languages anyway.
Belgium is a white marriage where neither party can or desires to bring themselves to divorce (especially since they'd never be able to decide on the custody of their child, Brussels). But what you have to understand isn't Belgium is really interested in any sort of national unity. The Flemish are happy being Flemish, the Walloons are happy being Francophones, etc. The Walloons identify more as Belgian than the Flemish, but neither have any sense of a strong national identity. When one lives in Wallonia, one lives
in Wallonia, one uses French and one sees French everywhere. When one lives in Flanders, one lives
in Flanders, one uses Dutch and one sees Dutch everywhere. Learning the others' language seems like it would be the most important thing to do to live in Belgium (it's learning the language of half your countrymen after all), but its just not. It's not a priority for Walloons to learn Dutch and even though the Flemish learn French, they prefer English (you'd be shocked how many times I'd ask a Fleming "Spreekt u Engels of Frans?" And get the response "Yes, English!," even 20 minutes across the border from Wallonia). The French see their language as more important, the Flemish all speak English, and when given the chance both Walloons and Flemings go for English. But in Brussels because of government policies Dutch speakers are needed, especially bilingual ones, so for some who wish to work there it can be advantageous. Otherwise it's of little importance and I doubt that'll ever change. There are ministers in this country who can barely speak Dutch. The last Prime Minister could barely speak Dutch.
And the Belgian Germans, forget about them. People don't even remember they exist. If you want to see a language even fewer people study then just look to German.* In fact I'd argue that in my experience, at least in Wallonia, the order of prominence of a second language is Dutch, English, Spanish, German (there's some huge adoration for Spanish in Belgium which I've never really understood). And it's rather funny since the giant country of Germany is a half hour away from me here (yet I know basically no one who even speaks
some German). I don't know where German stands in Flanders. It being a fellow Germanic language more people might study it, but I don't know.
*During the height of the recent Brussels lock down the federal government press conferences (by a minister or by the Prime Minister) were given first in Dutch and then in French, with an occasional third option of English for very important notifications. German was never used. The only place you see German in Belgium besides the German-speaking region is the national airport.