Vlaams

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A language of Belgium

ISO 639-3

vls

Alternate Names

West Vlaams

Population

1,070,000 (1998 University of Ghent). Total users in all countries: 1,231,000.

Location

West Flanders province.

Language Maps

Andorra and France

Belgium, Luxembourg and Netherlands

Language Status

6b (Threatened).

Classification

Indo-European, Germanic, West, Low Saxon-Low Franconian, Low Franconian

Dialects

None known. Considered a variant of Dutch [nld]. Reportedly similar to German [deu], English [eng], Frisian [fry].

Typology

SOV.

Language Use

All ages. Also use English [eng], French [fra].

Language Development

Periodicals. Dictionary. Bible portions: 1980–2003.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Vlaams

Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Christian.

Also spoken in:

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France

Language nameVlaams

Population

30,000 (2013).

Location

Nord-Pas-de-Calais-Picardy region: Dunkerque area and southeast to Belgium border.

Alternate Names

Flamand, Frans Vlaams, Vlaemsch, Vlamingen

Status

7 (Shifting). Recognized language (2013, No. 595), Education.

Language Use

Home, community. Older adults. Positive attitudes. Also use English [eng], French [fra].

Other Comments

Dutch [nld] sometimes referred to as Vlaams. Different orthographies used in the 3 countries. Christian.

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Netherlands

Language nameVlaams

Population

129,000 (2010 J. Leclerc).

Location

Zeeland province.

Alternate Names

Vlaemsch, West Vlaams

Dialects

West Vlaams, Frans Vlaams (Vlaemsch).

Status

6b (Threatened).

Language Use

For some, L1 only. Home, community. All ages. Also use Dutch [nld].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 99% in Dutch [nld].

Other Comments

Sometimes refer to Dutch as Vlaams. Dutch is language of trade, tourism, school. Difficult to understand nearby Brabant dialect of Dutch, perhaps due to Scheldt River being natural barrier. Christian.

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Ethnologue

Vlaams

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A language of Belgium

Also spoken in:

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