Well Pete, there's a good bit more difference between spoken Flemish and standard Dutch than there is between French spoken in France vs Belgian. Difference enough that, on TV programs using informal speech, they subtitle the Flemish into Dutch if it's broadcast in the Netherlands, and vice versa (Dutch into Flemish) for broadcast into Belgium. That does not happen with French. And the Parisians get picky about lots of stuff, but we're talking mainly accent rather than a very different vocabulary--sort of like NY City to Texas. The French spoken in Quebec, especially away from Montreal-Quebec City . . . then you get some more significant differences. But Cajun French is even worse.
I served with a Military Intelligence officer who was Dutch. He took the Army language tests in Flemish and Afrikaans as well.
Last edited by L. Brown; 05/02/12 06:03 PM.
