Flemish - Dutch Dialects in Belgium

Dutch Dialects in Belgium

There are five principal Dutch dialects in Flanders: Brabantian, Limburgish, East Flemish, Antwerpish and West Flemish. Linguistically however, Flemish is used as a general term encompassing both East Flemish and West Flemish. As a result of political emancipation of the region of Flanders, the combined culture of that region, which consists out of West Flanders, East Flanders, Brabant and Limburg, is named Flemish and so are the four languages sometimes. Despite the name, Brabantian is the dominant contributor to the tussentaal. Both uses of the term derive from the name of the historical County of Flanders.