Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum  

Go Back   Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum > Community > General

General Please use this forum to post feedback, suggestions and problems relating to 12oclockhigh.net

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 27th September 2019, 18:15
Andy Fletcher's Avatar
Andy Fletcher Andy Fletcher is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Cork, Ireland
Posts: 769
Andy Fletcher
Belgian Place Names

Is there a general rule for the correct spelling of place names in Belgian that end with "gem"

For the French version of a name it would end "ghem" whereas the Flemish (Dutch) version ends "gem" or are both versions used interchangeably and are not language dependent.

ie Everghem in French but Evergem in Flemish.

Best Regards

Andy Fletcher
__________________
Per Speculationem Impellor ad Intelligendum
  #2  
Old 30th September 2019, 14:42
Nick Beale's Avatar
Nick Beale Nick Beale is online now
Super Moderator
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Exeter, England
Posts: 5,778
Nick Beale has a spectacular aura aboutNick Beale has a spectacular aura aboutNick Beale has a spectacular aura about
Re: Belgian Place Names

I think this is a bit of a cultural minefield and depends on whether you're in a French- or Flemish-speaking area. Brussels is officially "neutral" and the destination signs on the buses oscillate between the two versions of each place name.
__________________
Nick Beale
http://www.ghostbombers.com
  #3  
Old 30th September 2019, 15:00
Andy Fletcher's Avatar
Andy Fletcher Andy Fletcher is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Cork, Ireland
Posts: 769
Andy Fletcher
Re: Belgian Place Names

Hi Nick,

Many thanks for the reply. I agree with it probably being a bit of a minefield. I ask because looking at WWII era sources "ghem" AND "gem" seem to be used interchangeably but with RAF sources seeming to have a preponderance for the use of "ghem" which I assume is the French version.

Cheers

Andy Fletcher
__________________
Per Speculationem Impellor ad Intelligendum
  #4  
Old 30th September 2019, 17:24
RudiS RudiS is offline
Alter Hase
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Belgium
Posts: 3,445
RudiS is on a distinguished road
Re: Belgian Place Names

Many place names have a different name in French and Dutch like Kortrijk/Courtrai or Leuven/Louvain. So which to use depends on what language you use. If you write in another language then French or Dutch (or German, which is the third official language in Belgium) I think it's best to use the spelling of the region the place is located in.

Concerning the ghem or gem at the end of a flemish place: AFAIR in 1946 they changed many spelling rules in Belgium. The place names ending on ghem were changed into gem in Dutch but not in French. So in French the old spelling is still used to date.

So in Dutch it's Evergem and in French it's still Everghem.
__________________
Regards,
Rudi
  #5  
Old 30th September 2019, 18:34
Andy Fletcher's Avatar
Andy Fletcher Andy Fletcher is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Cork, Ireland
Posts: 769
Andy Fletcher
Re: Belgian Place Names

Hi Rudi,

Thank you for the explanation. From what I can see the RAF tended to use the French version of names, perhaps that is how their maps were labelled.

Best Regards

Andy Fletcher
__________________
Per Speculationem Impellor ad Intelligendum
  #6  
Old 13th November 2019, 17:54
rof120 rof120 is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 252
rof120 is on a distinguished road
Re: Belgian Place Names - Lille or Rijsel?

Car drivers beware if you're travelling on Belgian motorways (highways). In French-speaking areas the big French city of Lille is Lille. In the flemish areas it's… Rijsel! (Nobody knows this name except Flemish people). No turist from abroad including Japan, the USA, China, Spain, Italy, the UK etc. has a chance to understand. Suddenly Lille disappears from the road signs, later i'ts back, disappears again etc. I wonder how many car crashes and fatalities this stupidity has caused and is still causing. This is a good example of fanatism by morons and the consequences.
  #7  
Old 13th November 2019, 19:09
RudiS RudiS is offline
Alter Hase
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Belgium
Posts: 3,445
RudiS is on a distinguished road
Re: Belgian Place Names - Lille or Rijsel?

Quote:
Originally Posted by rof120 View Post
Car drivers beware if you're travelling on Belgian motorways (highways). In French-speaking areas the big French city of Lille is Lille. In the flemish areas it's… Rijsel! (Nobody knows this name except Flemish people). No turist from abroad including Japan, the USA, China, Spain, Italy, the UK etc. has a chance to understand. Suddenly Lille disappears from the road signs, later i'ts back, disappears again etc. I wonder how many car crashes and fatalities this stupidity has caused and is still causing. This is a good example of fanatism by morons and the consequences.
And what does this have to do with the correct spelling of place names in Belgian that ends with "gem as asked by Andy in post #1?????
Besides not only Flemish people do this. The French for instance call Aachen Aix-la-Chapelle.
__________________
Regards,
Rudi

Last edited by RudiS; 13th November 2019 at 19:57.
Closed Thread

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Information sought from British pilots of 350 (Belgian) Squadron 350Sqn Allied and Soviet Air Forces 0 5th November 2017 18:54
Missing information 350 (Belgian) Squadron 350Sqn Allied and Soviet Air Forces 2 15th January 2017 20:12
Hungarian He 46, a Place, Time, Names? Mirek Wawrzynski Luftwaffe and Axis Air Forces 0 3rd June 2016 15:21
Hyphen usage in French place names. Andy Fletcher General 6 30th January 2012 11:11
Spitfire Histories Alex Smart Allied and Soviet Air Forces 16 13th April 2010 14:19


All times are GMT +2. The time now is 11:25.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.2
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004 - 2018, 12oclockhigh.net