Wisconsin Walloon -- A Language and Culture in Sharp Decline

Abstract

Walloon is one of four spoken languages native to southern Belgium. Walloon was primarily spoken in the region know as Wallonia. Walloon has remained relatively unchanged since the 1600s. Prominent usage up until WWI. In the 1930s, French was mandated as the public language. Walloon has been in severe decline since WWII. In the US, Walloon is spoken in an area approximately 100 square miles in Northeast Wisconsin.