At a conference in Canada it is appropriate to talk about bilingual cities in other parts of the world. The situation in Belgium, and more specifically in Brussels, can be an interesting case from a linguistic point of view. For years I have taught in the capital of Belgium and I can tell you how language usage in the city has changed.

Brussels is becoming more and more international. Is it then still possible to talk about a French- and Dutch-speaking city? Like Toronto, Brussels is one of the most international cities in the world. In the future multilingualism will probably be more important in Brussels than bilingualism. In such circumstances, will English become the most used language?

In the lecture I intend to analyse the current situation using scientific research. Linguistic experiments in Brussels schools are of particular interest: Brussels really needs a carefully chosen language policy. Finally I will also treat you to some typical practical examples from the everyday life of this officially bilingual city.