   #copyright

West Flemish

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: European Geography;
Languages

   This article is a part of

   the Dutch dialects series.
   The Dialects
   Brabantian
   Hollandic
   West Flemish
   Zealandic
   East Flemish
   Zuid-Gelders
   Dutch Low Saxon
   Limburgish

   Position of West Flemish/Zealandic within the Dutch speaking area
   (mainland only)
   Enlarge
   Position of West Flemish/Zealandic within the Dutch speaking area
   (mainland only)

   West Flemish (West Flemish: Vlaemsch, Dutch: West-Vlaams) is a group of
   dialects, spoken in parts of the Netherlands, Belgium, and France.

   There is a dialect continuum between West Flemish and some neighbouring
   Dutch dialects, being called East Flemish, and many linguists still
   consider West Flemish a Dutch dialect. The main reason to set it apart
   is that West Flemish remained distinct from the main stream of Dutch
   regional languages, which had evolved since the 17th century from the
   Brabantic version of Dutch. This gives West Flemish a distinct sound
   and flavor.

   West Flemish is spoken by around 1.05 million people in West Flanders
   (in Belgium), 90,000 in the neighbouring Dutch coastal district of
   Zeeuws-Vlaanderen, and approximately 20,000 in the northern part of the
   French département of Nord where it is classified as one of the
   Languages of France.

   The dialects of the Dutch province of Zeeland, Zealandic, are sometimes
   also classified under West Flemish Hollandic Dutch but this is
   sometimes disputed. The dialects of Zeeuws-Vlaanderen however do count
   as West Flemish variants. In fact, both regional languages are linked
   by a dialect continuum, which proceeds further north into Hollandic.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Flemish"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
