No *true* Belgian

dafydd said:
Or Limburgers.
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Or Flanderersers

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zooterkin said:
There's always John Redwood, who was the minister for Wales, but never learnt their national anthem.

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I knew someone would bring that one up! (I think I did, in the original thread discussing this at the time.)

It's not even all that hard. I had to learn it, in Welsh, in about 2 days, prior to the choir I was in performing in Cardiff. I can still do it, with about 80% of the words.

I have no clue what it means, of course. It could be something horribly offensive to the Scots, like the British English national anthem, and I'd be completely oblivious. :D

Rolfe.
 
Rolfe said:
...snip...

I have no clue what it means, of course. It could be something horribly offensive to the Scots, like the British English national anthem, and I'd be completely oblivious. :D

Rolfe.
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The British national anthem is offensive to the Scots? Why?

ETA: These are the lyrics:

God save our gracious Queen,
Long live our noble Queen,
God save the Queen:
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us:
God save the Queen.

O Lord, our God, arise,
Scatter her enemies,
And make them fall.
Confound their politics,
Frustrate their knavish tricks,
On Thee our hopes we fix,
God save us all.

Thy choicest gifts in store,
On her be pleased to pour;
Long may she reign:
May she defend our laws,
And ever give us cause
To sing with heart and voice
God save the Queen.
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Och, those horribly offensive lyrics! As a true Scot, I'm getting my claymore out of the thatch now.

Oh, you don't mean that old verse about "Marshall Wade", "sedition" and "rebellious Scots to crush"!? Sung once in 1745 to impress King Geordie and never since.
 
ddt said:
And Abdul, everyone knows there's only one true Belgian: the King. The rest are Flemish or Walloons. :D
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soetkin said:
I think you'll find the 'Brusseleirs' take exception to that.
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Officially, Brussels is a bilingual city. In practice, most Brusselers only speak French, but a century ago it was exactly the converse (link). Whenever I'm in Brussels, I keep them to the official line - and if they don't speak Dutch, I switch to English rather than French :rolleyes: My experience is that most Brusselers either don't speak Dutch at all, or suck majorly at it.

dafydd said:
Or Limburgers.
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Do they have a special status in public perception in Belgium too? Here in Holland, most people have an attitude that Limburgers are "half Belgian".

ObJoke:
What happens with the average IQ of the Netherlands and the average IQ of Belgium when a (Dutch) Limburger moves to Belgium?
It increases in both countries.
 
TX50 said:
Och, those horribly offensive lyrics! As a true Scot, I'm getting my claymore out of the thatch now.

Oh, you don't mean that old verse about "Marshall Wade", "sedition" and "rebellious Scots to crush"!? Sung once in 1745 to impress King Geordie and never since.
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We have long memories, you know!

And besides, the tune's a dirge and the words are trite, and we'd all be better off for something a bit more rousing.

Rolfe.
 
Rolfe said:
I knew someone would bring that one up! (I think I did, in the original thread discussing this at the time.)
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Well, he's my MP, and I feel entitled to ridicule him when the occasion presents itself. :)




Rolfe said:
We have long memories, you know!

And besides, the tune's a dirge and the words are trite, and we'd all be better off for something a bit more rousing.

Rolfe.
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Are we on to The Flower of Scotland now, then? ;)
 
Just to confound things further: following on from Brusselers and Limburgers -- what about the people of the Eupen / Malmedy area? What do they consider themselves / are they considered as by others? If I have things rightly (chiefly recalling stuff heard in childhood stamp-collecting days), this small patch of Belgium was part of Germany till post-World War 1; annexed to Belgium as part of the Versailles Treaty sortings-out.
 
Rolfe said:
It could be something horribly offensive to the Scots, like the British English national anthem
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Have we English decided that God Save the Queen is our national anthem, or are we still flip-flopping between that and Land of Hope and Glory, occasionally throwing in Jerusalem when we get bored?
 
Cleon said:
How the hell do you **** that up?

Many people have butchered the lyrics to the Star Spangled Banner over the years, but I have yet to see even the ditziest of pop stars accidentally start singing "Oh Canada" instead.
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The Belgian anthem has two versions, a French one and a Dutch one. Leterme (who is Flemish) was interviewed in French, so he probably wanted to sing the French version but obviously ****ed up.
 
fleabeetle said:
Just to confound things further: following on from Brusselers and Limburgers -- what about the people of the Eupen / Malmedy area? What do they consider themselves/are they considered as by others?
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No one ever really thinks or talks about them.
 
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fleabeetle said:
Just to confound things further: following on from Brusselers and Limburgers -- what about the people of the Eupen / Malmedy area? What do they consider themselves / are they considered as by others? If I have things rightly (chiefly recalling stuff heard in childhood stamp-collecting days), this small patch of Belgium was part of Germany till post-World War 1; annexed to Belgium as part of the Versailles Treaty sortings-out.
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I guess Peephole has the most succinct answer. :)

Regionally, they're part of Wallonia. Culturally, they're part of the German-speaking community.

Belgium has two administrative divisions. First, a regional (geographical) division in three (Flanders, Brussels, Wallonia). Secondly, a cultural division in language communities (Dutch, French, German), which is responsible for, e.g., education and cultural things.

So the roads, the water, electricity etc. in Eupen are done by the Walloon region (or the Liege province); the schools and the theaters are done by the German community.

Yep, a 10-million people country needs 7 governments.
 
Nick Bogaerts said:
Have we English decided that God Save the Queen is our national anthem, or are we still flip-flopping between that and Land of Hope and Glory, occasionally throwing in Jerusalem when we get bored?
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I dunno. The Elgar is a cracking tune, shame about a couple of the lines. Jerusalem is a completely insane idea. Is this England or Israel we're talking about? Yes, I know, but the whole sentiment is just puke-inducing.

Once upon a time, when I was in the choir singing at the Last Night of the Proms, we were approached by a deputation of prommers trying to get what they claimed were the original words to the Elgar reinstated. They wanted us to sing the words they were promoting. We didn't want thrown out of the choir so we politely declined, but a fair attempt was heard to come from the prom area itself.

Land of Hope and Glory
Mother of the free
How shall we extol thee
Who were born of thee?

Truth and Right and Freedom
Each a holy gem
Stars of royal brightness
For thy diadem.

According to these guys, these were the first words to be set to the tune, and Elgar approved. When somebody substituted the "wider still and wider" jingoism, he walked out.

I can't vouch for the truth of this, but I applaud the sentiment.

Rolfe.
 
fleabeetle said:
Just to confound things further: following on from Brusselers and Limburgers -- what about the people of the Eupen / Malmedy area? What do they consider themselves / are they considered as by others? If I have things rightly (chiefly recalling stuff heard in childhood stamp-collecting days), this small patch of Belgium was part of Germany till post-World War 1; annexed to Belgium as part of the Versailles Treaty sortings-out.
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I have a great uncle who, In the US Army spent a couple of fun filled days in the Malmedy area enjoying the Winter sports in December of 1944. He does not have fond memories of the place....
 
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ddt said:
I guess Peephole has the most succinct answer. :)

Regionally, they're part of Wallonia. Culturally, they're part of the German-speaking community.

Belgium has two administrative divisions. First, a regional (geographical) division in three (Flanders, Brussels, Wallonia). Secondly, a cultural division in language communities (Dutch, French, German), which is responsible for, e.g., education and cultural things.

So the roads, the water, electricity etc. in Eupen are done by the Walloon region (or the Liege province); the schools and the theaters are done by the German community.

Yep, a 10-million people country needs 7 governments.
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And some people try to tell us that Belgium is a boring place -- not so at all, it would seem !

From some recent posts, I'm getting a perverse desire to take a holiday around Eupen / Malmedy: seemingly a little-heard-of region which few seem to have a good word for...
 
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