Editing Walloons (section)

==Etymology==
The term ''Walloon'' is derived from ''*[[walha]]'', a Proto-Germanic term used to refer to [[Celtic languages|Celtic]] and [[Latin]] speakers.<ref>[[John Ronald Reuel Tolkien]], ''English and Welsh'', in ''Angles and Britons: O'Donnell Lectures'', University of Cardiff Press, 1963.</ref>

''Walloon'' originated in [[Romance languages]] alongside other related terms, but it supplanted them.  Its oldest written trace is found in Jean de Haynin's ''Mémoires de Jean, sire de Haynin et de Louvignies'' in 1465,{{disputed inline|date=June 2016}} where it refers to Roman populations of the [[Burgundian Netherlands]]. Its meaning narrowed yet again during the French and Dutch periods and, at Belgian independence, the term designated only Belgians speaking a Romance language (French, Walloon, [[Picard language|Picard]], etc.) The linguistic cleavage in the politics of Belgium adds a political content to "the emotional cultural, and linguistic concept".<ref>French: ''Au concept sentimental, linguistique et culturel s'est ajouté peu à peu, par la suite de l'évolution intérieure en Belgique, depuis 1880 surtout, un contenu politique'' Albert Henry, ''Histoire des mots Wallons et Wallonie'', Institut Jules Destrée, Coll. «Notre histoire», Mont-sur-Marchienne, 1990, 3rd ed. (1st ed. 1965), p. 14.</ref> The words ''Walloon'' and ''Wallons'' can be seen in the book of Charles White, ''The Belgic Revolution'' (1835): "The restless Wallons, with that adventurous daring which is their historical characteristic, abandoned their occupations, and eagerly seizing the pike and the musket marched towards the centre of the commotion."<ref>Charles White, ''The Belgic Revolution of 1830'', Whittaker, London, 1835, p. 308, see also, pp. 5, 45, 266, 307 where the same word as in French -  ''Wallons'' -  was used [https://archive.org/details/belgicrevolutio00whitgoog <!-- quote=The belgic revolution. --> Oxford University's copy]</ref> The Spanish terms of Walon and Walona from the 17th century referred to a Royal Guard Corps recruited in the Spanish Flanders. They were involved in many of the most significant battles of the Spanish Empire.

Albert Henry wrote that although in 1988 the word ''Walloon'' evoked a constitutional reality, it originally referred to Roman populations of the [[Burgundian Netherlands]] and was also used to designate a territory by the terms ''provinces wallonnes'' or ''pays wallon'' (Walloon country), from the 16th century to the [[Belgian revolution]], and later Wallonia.<ref>Albert Henry, ''En 1988, le terme ''Wallonie''  évoque (...) une réalité politique et administrative constitutionnellement reconnue (...) En 1830, et au cours des années qui suivirent, on avait continué à se servir des expressions ''provinces wallonnes'', cette dernière déjà employée au seizième siècle, au moins et ''pays wallon'' plus rarement attestées avant le dix-huitième siècle'', opus citatus, pp. 15-16</ref> The term 'Walloon country' was also used in Dutch viz. ''Walsch land''.<ref>Het naembouck van 1562, Tweede druk van het Nederlands - Frans Woordenboek van Hoos Lambrech, published by R.Verdeyen, Liège-Paris, 1945, p.221. (from Albert Henry, opus citatus, p.81)</ref> The term existed also in German, perhaps ''Wulland'' in Hans Heyst's 1571 book, where that word is later (1814) translated to [[Wallonia]] in English.<ref>Hans Heyst, ''Philippi II, Koenigs in Spanien, Reise aus Spanien nach Genos, und dann ferner durch Italien und Teutschland ins Wulland, und von dannen herauf in die Stadt Augsburg von anno 1549 bis 1551'', ''Journey and Voyage of Philipp II, from Spain to Genos, and then further through Italy and Germany into Wallonia and to hence into the City of Augsburg'', Augsburg, 1571, 4to. Published by Par John Pinkerton; Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, 1814, see the translation of Wulland in the English Wallonia p. 89 [https://books.google.com/books?id=syInAAAAMAAJ ''A General Collection of the Best and Most Interesting Voyages and Travels in All Parts of the World:'' Many of which are Now First Translated Into English. Digested on a New Plan, Copy of the University of Michigan]</ref> In German it is however generally ''Wallonenland''.<ref>''Le païs de Valons, Belgolalia, Wallonennland'', in ''Le Grand Dictionnaire Royal,'' Augsbourg, 1767 in ''Etudes d'histoire wallonne'', Fondation Plisnier, Bruxelles, 1964 [https://books.google.com/books?id=g7hhAAAAIAAJ&q=Wallonenland Etudes d'histoire wallonne]</ref> In English, it is Walloon country (see further James Shaw).<ref>Albert Henry, ''Un témoignage anglais'', opus citatus, p.48</ref> In French it is ''le Pays wallon''.<ref>''Le pays wallon comprenait la plus grande partie de ce qui forme aujourd'hui la Belgique,la Flandre occidentale et orientale, dites ensemble Flandre wallonne, la province de Namur, le Hainaut, le pays de Liège, le Limbourg et même le Luxembourg'' in  ''Dictionnaire Bescherelle'' Paris, 1856, Vol II, p. 1664 [http://gallica2.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k50452b.zoom.r=Dictionnaire+Bescherelle.f1667.pagination.langFRDictionnaire Bescherelle, Vol II, 1856, Paris, p. 1664]</ref> For Félix Rousseau, Walloon country is, after ''le Roman pays'' the old name of the country of the Walloons.<ref>French "En ce qui concerne les termes employés pour désigner la ''Terre des Wallons'' au cours des âges, nous avons noté le ''Roman pays'', ensuite le ''Pays wallon''. Il y eut aussi l'expression: les ''Provinces wallonnes''." Félix Rousseau, ''La Wallonie, terre romane'', 6th edition, Charleroi, 1993, p.120, DL/1993/0276/1</ref>

===Institutional aspects===
{{Main|Wallonia|State reform in Belgium}}
The term "''state reform''" in the [[Belgium|Belgian]] context indicates a process towards finding [[constitution of Belgium|constitutional]] and [[language legislation in Belgium|legal]] solutions for the problems and tensions among the different segments of the Belgian population, mostly  Dutch-speakers of [[Flanders]] and French-speakers of [[Wallonia]]. In general, Belgium evolved from a unitary state to a federal state with [[communities, regions and language areas of Belgium|communities, regions and language areas]].<ref>''"Belgium is a federal State composed of Communities and Regions."''&nbsp;– Article 1 of the [[Constitution of Belgium|Belgian Constitution]]</ref>