Answer

The word ghetto has strong negative overtones and is mostly used to denote groups with a low socio-economic status, who live in deprived areas where they leave a strong mark. People who live elsewhere often don’t feel at ease in these parts. However, in the case of the Brussels Rue A. Dansaert Straat, the people in question are young and wealthy and have instigated a strong redevelopment and revaluation of this area. (All major designers have shops there and it is a popular and hip nightlife spot). So this can hardly be called deprivation. It is also unlikely that French speakers -or speakers of other languages for that matter- with a similar socio-economic background would feel ill at ease in this neighbourhood.

If you consider the historical background, you will note a sharp contrast with the position of Dutch speakers about fifty years earlier. At that time, they belonged to the lower social strata who did not want to be marked as ‘different’ in any way as they sought entrance to the higher –French speaking- ranks. Speaking French was a logical step in that direction.

As the situation has been completely reversed in half a century, the mayor’s remark can be regarded as rather ironic, even though he probably didn’t intend it that way.

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