Brussels speaks English
Today, walking through an area around the centre of Brussels, I saw a huge advert for the film “The Day the Earth Stood Still” (a remake of a 1951 film). In English.
I was surprised to see it in English (usually, such ads are in French), so I looked around. Posters and shop signs with a huge “Merry Christmas” were all over the place. A tram went by, and had adverts on it in English. Turning the corner, I saw a huge ad (two full façades of one building) for the new “Toyota iQ” (which does seem very well designed, after looking it up).
All in English.
It’s an interesting observation for me, as an English speaker having lived in Brussels for 16 years. I remember seeing lots of ads in English over time, but it had never made such an impression.
Have recent events and demographic changes meant that English is well on its way to become the true second language of an officially bilingual (Dutch-French) but officiously French-speaking city (only 10-15% of the Brussels population is Flemish)?