I can't answer for her H but quite simply pick either or in Brussels, Flemish in the North and French in the South.
Lol. For some reason I was thinking there was some large in-depth system in play. I'm not sure why. It's not like I've never been there or anything (although I'd imagine that since I don't speak Flemish I've never needed to think beyond speaking French).
Nope nothing in depth there
Brussels can be confusing as it really is either or + a multitude of other languages due to the high number of expats.
You always have more chances of Flemish people speaking French than the other way around, especially outside of Brussels.
I'm not attracted to him and I don't know what he sounds like. I'll look for an interview and see if it changes my mind.
Eta: nope didn't work. I like it thick and almost unintelligible to my ears.
I get some people being on the fence about Benedict Cumberbatch but how can anyone not be attracted to David Tennant especially when he is speaking?!
As for the vote, I'm not surprised by the outcome by my highland clan ancestors are turning in their graves that Scotland could have been free from England with a vote.
That is a terrible picture of David Tennant. He's a cheeky bastard with soulful eyes and that pic just ruins it. Other things that ruin David Tennant: Harry Potter.
But, most of the time, no Fleming will be offended if you start with French. They're used to it and they all speak it. That being said, you may get a more prickly response in Antwerp versus Bruges. French is absolutely a-ok and more or less expected in Brussels.
On my own, I usually start with my (very) basic Flemish then switch to French. And then, 85% of the time, I'll be promptly replied to in tidy English. THANKS BELGIANS.
Mostly, I just nod alongside H as though I know exactly what's being said. Which always works out great and never ever results in me embarrassing myself.
But how does Your H know what language to start with? Is it some sort of sixth sense they are born with?
@kapoentje How different is Flemish from Dutch? How many people even speak Flemish? It seems like it must be so small.
Aside from some (sometimes significant) dialect and accent differences, Flemish is the Dutch language as spoken in Belgium or, more specifically, the northern region of Flanders. There are around 6 million speakers, I believe.
Why it's called Flemish and not Dutch has more to do with history than actual language differences (i.e.: Flanders with its cities of Bruges, Ghent, Leuven & Antwerp being long established prior to the conception of the Dutch Republic in the 17th century).