What are the different cultures in Belgium?

Belgian culture involves both the aspects shared by all Belgians regardless of the language they speak and the differences between the main cultural communities: the Dutch-speaking Belgians (Flemish) and the French-speaking Belgians (mostly Brussels and Walloon people).

Are Belgium and the Netherlands similar?

Both nations are great allies with cultural similarities and close cooperation between both governments. The language spoken in Belgium is known as Dutch/Flemish (Nederlands/Vlaams), and is the most-spoken language in both countries. The Union also works to showcase the two countries’ shared cultural heritage.

What is difference between Flemish and Dutch?

The most obvious difference when talking with or listening to speakers of Dutch and Flemish is the pronunciation. While Flemish tends towards French pronunciations, Dutch in the Netherlands has more of an English feel. For example, the word nationaal is pronounced nasional in Flanders and natzional in the Netherlands.

Why does Belgium speak Dutch?

The main reasons for this are the strengthened economic position of Flanders and the problematic situation of heavy industry in Wallonia since the 1960s. The position of Standard Dutch as a general language has been reinforced at the expense of the previously almost exclusive use of the dialects as spoken languages.

Do they speak Dutch in Belgium?

Belgium is one of those special countries that have three official languages: Dutch, French and German. That’s right, Dutch (and not Flemish) is one of the official Belgian languages! After all, Flemish is defined in the Oxford Dictionary as the “Dutch language spoken in Northern Belgium”.

What distinguishes Belgian culture from Dutch culture?

As Joachim Pense mentioned, the strong influence of the catholic church in Belgium distinguishes Belgian culture from Dutch culture historically (also, historically, the strong influence of French culture on the Belgian upper classes everywhere in the country).

What is the difference between Holland and Belgium?

People from Holland speak Dutch and part of Belgium speak the same language but that is called Flemish. Flemish and Dutch are the same language. The only difference is the pronunciation of words or accent. You can easily identify someone from Holland and one from Belgium when they speak.

How does the Flemish language differ from the Dutch language?

The intonation of the language in Flanders is more melodic than in the Netherlands. The Dutch tend to use more staccato and the intonation falls more often at the end. Flemish is much softer, rounder and in terms of intonation is the intonation at the end of a sentence often raised.

What is the official language of the Netherlands and Belgium?

Dutch is the official language of the Netherlands and one of Belgium’s 3 official languages (along with French and German). In Belgium it is the predominant language in the northern province of Flanders. I have had the opportunity to live in the Netherlands (in Utrecht) for one year and Belgium (in bilingual Brussels) for 5.