Short answers, pulled from the story.
The Walloon language began to emerge from Vulgar Latin during the historical expansion of the Principality of Liège in 980. By the beginning of the 13th century, the language had a clearly defined identity.
Walloon is spoken in much of Wallonia, Brussels, villages near Givet in northern France, and communities in northeastern Wisconsin. In 2007, the number of people with knowledge of the language was estimated at 600,000.
Generational transmission has decreased since the middle of the 20th century due to public schools providing French-speaking education after World War I and official orders punishing its use in 1952. Today only about 15% of the Walloon population speaks their ancestral language.
Central Walloon is spoken in Namur, Wavre, and Dinant while Eastern Walloon covers Liège, Verviers, Malmedy, Huy, and Waremme. Western Walloon appears in Charleroi, Nivelles, and Philippeville and Southern Walloon is found in Bastogne, Marche-en-Famenne, and Neufchâteau.
Walloon-language literature has been printed since the 16th century or at least the beginning of the 17th century. Publications reached a peak of sixty-nine in 1903 after rising gradually year by year.
Walloon was formally recognized as an indigenous regional language of Belgium on the 14th of December 1990 through the Décret Valmy Féaux. Large-scale publications like the Walloon Wikipedia appeared officially in 2003 following this recognition.