French and English gaining ground in Brussels' Flemish periphery
Although the proportion of French speakers in the Flemish municipalities around Brussels - the Vlaamse Rand - is increasing, Dutch remains the dominant language, according to the latest VUB language barometer. The researchers at the Brussels-based Fl
Although the proportion of French speakers in the Flemish municipalities around Brussels - the Vlaamse Rand - is increasing, Dutch remains the dominant language, according to the latest VUB language barometer.
The researchers at the Brussels-based Flemish university analysed the language skills of 2,273 residents of 19 municipalities in the Flemish periphery. They found a sharp increase in the diversity of languages spoken - 104, compared with 87 in 2019 and 75 in 2014 - with English in particular having become more popular. The periphery region has thus reached a level comparable to that of Brussels in terms of multilingualism.
“The Vlaamse Rand, an officially Dutch-speaking area, with 'language facilities' [allowing residents to carry out administrative tasks in French as well as Dutch] in six municipalities, is heavily influenced by migration from Brussels and increasing internationalisation,” said researcher Mathis Saeys.
“Despite these trends, Dutch remains firmly embedded in the daily lives of local residents. However, the study also highlights slight declines in the knowledge of both Dutch and French, alongside the growing dominance of English as a second language,” he said.
Indeed, in the periphery, Dutch has held its own. But in Brussels, where 47% speak English, Dutch, despite being one of the two official languages in the region, is now the third most widely spoken language. The report also notes that while Dutch remains the most widely used language in formal contexts such as at the commune and at work, multilingualism is on the rise in professional settings.
The proportion of French speakers also continues to increase in the Flemish periphery, the VUB’s third barometer showed. More than half of residents with a good command of French learned the language at home (54% compared with 46% in 2019). Meanwhile the proportion of people raised in Dutch has fallen very slightly (79%, a drop of 1%).
The Dutch language is still dominant on the outskirts of the city, but this is declining. In 2024, 37.7% of people spoke Dutch exclusively at home, compared to 45% five years ago. In addition, the number of residents who grew up speaking both Dutch and French is increasing.
The proportion of people who speak only French at home is also rising slightly, from 20% to 23%. Other commonly spoken languages are English, German and Spanish.
Asse, Grimbergen, Meise and Merchtem are the most Dutch-speaking communes, followed by Beersel, Dilbeek, Sint-Pieter-Leeuw and the municipalities from the Druivenstreek (Hoeilaart, Overijse and Tervuren).
In contrast, Zaventem, as well as Wemmel and the other five so-called "communes with facilities" bordering Brussels - where in addition to Dutch, residents can use French at the commune for administrative purposes, for example to get an identity card - have the lowest proportion of Dutch speakers.
Kraainem and Wezembeek-Oppem, very near predominantly French-speaking Stockel in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, contain the highest number of people growing up in a solely French-speaking family. These communes are followed by Drogenbos, Linkebeek and Sint-Genesius-Rode.
In Machelen, Vilvoorde, Wemmel and Zaventem meanwhile, 20% speak neither Dutch nor French.
The report underlines that the Flemish periphery cannot be treated as a “monolithic region”.
“Municipalities like Asse and Grimbergen remain predominantly Dutch-speaking, while municipalities with language facilities, such as Kraainem and Linkebeek, exhibit a stronger French-speaking character,” the report said.
“The study calls on policymakers to continue promoting Dutch, while embracing an inclusive approach that recognises linguistic diversity. Dutch serves as a crucial bridge language, facilitating both formal and informal interactions.”
Related
Share this page
Guest Posts by Easy Branches
