A Belgian train conductor's use of both French and Dutch greetings sparked a debate about language rules in the country.
Belgium’s complex language rules mean conductors should only use both languages when in Brussels and a few other bilingual regions. A ticket inspector’s bilingual greeting to a Flemish train passenger has created a political war of words – and an official complaint – in language-divided Belgium.
Ilyass Alba, the French-speaking conductor, greeted passengers entering his carriage with a resounding “Bonjour” – French for “good morning” – to welcome him onboard during a rush-hour train from Mechelen, in Flanders, to the capital, Brussels, in October. Writing on Facebook, Alba said that on the day in question he greeted passengers entering his carriage with a resounding “Bonjour” – French for “good morning” – to welcome him onboard during a rush-hour train from Mechelen, in Flanders, to the capital, Brussels, in October. The use of both the Dutch and French greetings was not good enough for one Dutch-speaking passenger, who told him off, saying: “We’re not in Brussels yet, you have to use Dutch only!” The passenger was technically right, as under Belgium’s complex language rules conductors should in theory use both languages only in Brussels and a few other bilingual regions. “The file is under review,” the Permanent Commission for Linguistic Control said, adding it would ask the national railway operator, SNCB, for more information on its enforcement of language policies. Georges Gilkinet, the transport minister and a French-speaking environmentalist, came to Alba’s defence, saying that in a small country such as Belgium, regional borders are crossed all the time. SNCB conductors should prioritise giving “a quality welcome” and ensuring all passengers are “properly and fully informed”, Gilkinet said after being quizzed in parliament over the issue. “Using several languages to say hello does not shock me,” he added.“We can’t just throw our language legislation overboard like that,” said Sammy Mahdi, head of the CD&V, a party of Flemish Christian democrats. SNCB, for its part, called for “more flexibility” in applying language rule
LANGUAGE RULES BELGIUM POLITICS TRAIN CONDUCTOR BILINGUALISM
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