In Belgium, a train controller is prosecuted for saying “hello” in French at the microphone while he was in the Flemish part of the country. An unusual situation that revives linguistic tensions in the region.
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When a politeness formula becomes a national controversy. It all started at the end of 2024 on a Belgian train. A controller salutes travelers. “Good day, Bonjour!”a “hello” which is unworthy a passenger. Indeed, theoretically, when a train is in the French -speaking part, the controller must express themselves in French. When he is in the Flemish region, he must speak Dutch. As a result, a complaint is filed before a commission. It was deemed admissible, incomprehensible for the questioned controller. “What happened is still quite serious. It is still a shame that in 2025, in the era of globalization, that we say: ‘You cannot, it is a fault'”he deplores.
Online, some Flemish are indignant. “He does not respect any rule and even less the Flemish travelers”comments a surfer. Absurd, on the other hand, according to most of the travelers met this morning. “It is surreal, because taking the initiative to go and file a complaint because a French word was pronounced in the Flemish part in Belgium, for me it does not make sense”estimates a user. “It’s stupid. A little intelligent people don’t do such things”consider another.
The story has nevertheless rekindled linguistic tensions and the Minister of Transport was even forced to take a stand. “A ‘Hello’, never killed anyone, whether in Dutch or French”castigates Georges Gilkinet. The Belgian Railway Company tells us that no sanction will be taken against the controller, who seems to want to drive the point. In a video, he announced launching a mug brand, “Goeiedag, Hello”. His motto: “Because hello is priceless.”