Belgium
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Belgium (BE)
ECRML
Signed
(UNSIGNED)
Ratified
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In Force
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FCNM
Signed
2001
Ratified
(PENDING)
In Force
(PENDING)
Country Description
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Official Language(s)
To increase their visibility, recognised Sign Languages are always listed as official languages even if they are not yet technically official. The data on legal recognition was aggregated from legal documents and official sources. Wherever possible, the national number was taken from a national census or recent study/official estimate – sources are listed. The endangerment level is adopted from Ethnologue/Glottolog and further estimates of endangerment can be found on the individual language profile (e.g. by clicking on ‘Italian’).
| Language | Endonym | Geographic Area | Source | Legal Recognition | Legal Document | Source | National Number | Bases for Calculation | Estimation Date | Source | Endangerment Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Flemish Germanic |
Nederlands | Flanders; Bilingual area Brussels-Capital | 1831 / 1898 | Belgian Constitution (technically) / Equality Act / Gelijkheidswet (Coremans-De Vriendt Law) | / | Approx. 6 000 000 (not a census) | Speakers | 2005 | 1 (National) | ||
|
Flemish Sign Language (VGT) Sign Language |
Vlaamse Gebarentaal | Whole Country / Flemish language area | 2006 | Decree on the recognition of Flemish Sign Language / Decreet houdende de erkenning van de Vlaamse Gebarentaal | / | Approx. 13,000 (not a census) | Language used | 2023 | 5 (Developing) | ||
|
French Romance |
Français | Wallonia; Bilingual area Brussels-Capital | 1830 | Decree of the Provisional Government of 16 Nov 1830 / Pasinomie, 3e Série, xii, 82-83 | / | Approx. 8 815 000 (not a census, given) | Speakers | 2022 | 1 (National) | ||
|
French Belgian Sign Language (LSFB) Sign Language |
Langue des signes de Belgique francophone | Whole Country / French language area | 2003 | Law 28210 Decree relating to the recognition of sign language / Lois 28210 Décret relatif à la reconnaissance de la langue des signes | / | Approx. 49,736 (given, not a census) | Language used | 2008 | 5 (Developing) | ||
|
German Germanic |
Deutsch | East Belgium | 1963 | Act on the Use of the Court in Administrative Matters Art. 5 / Wet op het gebruik van de taten in bestuurszaken Art. 5 | / | Approx. 7 6145 (only in German-speaking region, not a census, given) | / | 2023 | 1 (National) | ||
|
German Sign Language (DGS) Sign Language |
Deutsche Gebärdensprache | Whole Country / East Belgium | 2019 | Draft decree on the recognition of German sign language / Dekretentwurf zur Anerkennung der deutschen Gebärdensprache | / | Not available | Not available | Not available | Not listed |
ECRML-Recognised Languages
This includes languages recognised under the European Charter of Regional and Minority Languages (ECRML). The data on legal recognition was aggregated from legal documents and official sources. Wherever possible, the national number was taken from a national census or recent study/official estimate – sources are listed. The endangerment level is adopted from Ethnologue/Glottolog and further estimates of endangerment can be found on the individual language profile (e.g. by clicking on ‘Czech’).
| Language | Endonym | Geographic Area | Source | Legal Recognition | Legal Document | Source | National Number | Bases for Calculation | Estimation Date | Source | Endangerment Level | ECRML level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| / | ||||||||||||
Non-ECRML Languages
This includes languages listed with an 'established status' in Ethnologue, the Endangered Languages Project or the UNESCO World Atlas (once it is available again). The data on legal recognition, national number, and endangerment level was taken over from the original source, reflecting these sources’ current state and gaps of knowledge.
| Language | Endonym | Geographic Area | Source | Legal Recognition | Legal Document | Source | National Number | Bases for Calculation | Estimation Date | Source | Endangerment Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
English Germanic |
English | / | / | / | / | 4 478 800 | Users | 2021 | 4 (Educational) | ||
|
Limbourgish Germanic |
Limburgs | Liège province: Eupen; Limburg province: Hasselt, Genk, Maaseik, Voeren | / | / | / | 600 000 | Users | 2001 | 5 (Developing) | ||
|
Luxembourgish Germanic |
Moselle Frankish | Luxembourg province: Arlon and Bastogne area | 1990 | Valmy Feaux Decree (Statutory language of provincial identity in southeastern Wallonia) | / | 30 000 | Users | 1998 | 5* (Dispersed) | ||
|
Picard Romance |
Picard | Hainaut province: Ath, Mons, Soignies, and Tournai municipalities | 1990 | Valmy Feaux Decree (Statutory language of provincial identity in western Hinaut Province) | / | 200 000 | Users | 2007 | 6b (Threatened) | ||
|
Walloon Romance |
Walon | Hainaut, Liège, Namur, Walloon Brabant provinces; Luxembourg province: Bastogne, Marche-en-Famenne, and Neufchâteau municipalities | 1990 | Valmy Feaux Decree (Statutory language of provincial identity in Wallonia) | / | 600 000 | Users | 2007 | 6b (Threatened) | ||
|
West Flemish Germanic |
West-Vlams / Vlaemsch | West Flanders province | / | / | / | 1 070 000 | Users | 1998 | 6b (Threatened) | ||
|
Yiddish Germanic |
Yidish | Antwerp | / | / | / | / | / | / | / | 5* (Developing) |
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