A Belgian ticket inspector's bilingual greeting in Dutch-speaking Flanders has led to a upheld complaint by the Permanent Commission for Linguistic Control. The inspector, Ilyass Alba, greeted passengers with 'Goeiedag, bonjour' as the train approached Vilvoorde. The commission ruled that French should not have been used in Flanders unless a French-speaking passenger initiated it. This incident underscores the rigid language laws in Belgium, which mandate language use for conductors based on the region. While the incident received media attention, it reportedly will not carry significant consequences for Alba or the rail operator.
The Permanent Commission for Linguistic Control upheld a complaint against a conductor for using French in a Dutch-speaking area, highlighting Belgium's strict language laws.
Conductors on the SNCB must use Dutch in Flanders, French in the Francophone region, and both languages in bilingual Brussels, enforcing the country’s language regulations.
Collection
[
|
...
]