Last year, a seemingly benign exchange during rush hour on a train in Belgium led to unexpected linguistic conflict. Commuters were treated to a dual greeting from Ilyass Alba, a train attendant who said “goeiemorgen” (good morning in Dutch) followed by “bonjour” (French for hello). This approach, typical in a country with multiple official languages, quickly met resistance from a Dutch-speaking passenger.
The Dutch passenger, upset by the French greeting in the predominantly Dutch-speaking Flanders region, confronted Alba, insisting that only Dutch should be used since they were in Flanders. Alba, surprised by the backlash, attempted to clarify the situation in French, which further escalated tensions. The complaint was eventually taken to Belgium's Permanent Commission for Linguistic Control, an authority responsible for language-related administrative matters.
After months of deliberation, the commission determined that the complaint was justified. In a statement, they reminded transport and public service employees of their duty to respect the language laws that stipulate communication according to the language preferences of travelers. The commission stated, “As soon as he knows the traveler’s language (French or Dutch), he will respond in that language.”
This incident, highlighted by local media, underscores Belgium's ongoing struggles with its linguistic diversity, particularly between the Dutch-speaking Flanders and French-speaking Wallonia regions, drawing attention to the sensitivity surrounding language use in public spaces.
