this post was submitted on 19 Dec 2024
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44
Train conductor’s bilingual morning greeting raises hackles in Belgium (www.theguardian.com)
submitted 3 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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The country’s language watchdog is investigating after a Dutch-speaking commuter protested a conductor’s use of “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, Ilyass Alba, the French-speaking conductor, said that on the day in question he greeted passengers entering his carriage with a resounding “goeiemorgen, bonjour”.

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.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago (3 children)

That sounds pretty racist.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 months ago (1 children)

The history of the Flemish and Walloon conflict is pretty impressive. Some people hold onto those generational prejudices.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago

I see. Thanks for sharing.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 months ago

French isn't a race, it's an ailment.