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To: crz
As you might know, that country is completely divided ethnically.

I found that out in 1966, the last time I visited Belgium. As we traveled southbound on a highway out of Ghent, we followed road signs to a place called Bergen. However, we never got there. When we completed the distance to Bergen as displayed in the signs, we found ourselves in a city called Mons, for we had crossed from the Flemish-speaking to the French-speaking part of Belgium.

35 posted on 08/12/2024 4:03:59 PM PDT by Fiji Hill
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To: Fiji Hill

Well...some of it is French but most of it is not. It may sound French, but it isn’t. Those I know up around Brussels WI can not understand French.
Like the name Gauthier. It’s pronounced Goe-chee in most French quarters. The name Potier is prounced Put-chee everywhere. In that local Waloon dialect, they are pronounced entirely different.
I wonder if some of the dialects are based on the old Norman dialect.


37 posted on 08/14/2024 11:11:13 AM PDT by crz
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