Page Type: languageWest Flemish | Ethnologue

VLS ISO 639-3

West Flemish

West-Vlams Autonym

A language of Belgium

ISO 639
vls
Alternate Names
Vlaams, West Vlaams, West-Vloams, Western Flemish, Westvlams
Autonym
West-Vlams
Population
1,070,000 in Belgium (1998 University of Ghent). Total users in all countries: 1,232,000.
Location:
West Flanders province.
Language Status
6b (Threatened).
Classification
Indo-European, Germanic, West, Low Saxon-Low Franconian, Low Franconian
Dialects
None known. Considered a variant of Dutch [nld]. Reportedly similar to German [deu], English [eng], Frisian [fry].
Typology
SOV.
Language Use
Some of all ages. Also use English [eng]. Also use French [fra].
Language Development
Bible portions: 1980–2003.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about West Flemish
Writing
Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments
Christian.

Also Spoken in

Language Name
West Flemish
User Population
30,000 in France (2013).
Location
Hauts-de-France region: Dunkerque area and southeast to Belgium border.
Language Status
8a (Moribund)
Other Comments
Dutch [nld] sometimes referred to as Vlaams. Different orthographies used in the 3 countries. Christian.
View other languages of France
Language Name
West Flemish
User Population
132,000 in Netherlands (2016).
Location
Zeeland province.
Language Status
6b (Threatened)
Other Comments
Sometimes refer to Dutch as Vlaams. Dutch is language of trade, tourism, school. Difficult to understand nearby Brabant dialect of Dutch, perhaps due to Scheldt River being natural barrier. Christian.
View other languages of Netherlands

Map

Location: West Flanders province.