WELL
I'LL BE!
THE
ANSWERS TO TWO MORE QUESTIONS YOU NEVER ASKED
What's
the difference between Dutch and Flemish?
After visiting Belgium and The Netherlands a few weeks back,
I learned that the most widely spoken language in both regions
is Dutch. However, some locals referred to it as Flemish,
and shrugged when I asked them the difference. Their shrug
was not one of ignorance, but perhaps one that suggested I
would not be able to appreciate the subtle distinction.
Flemish is like a variation of Dutch, with some differences
in vocabulary and pronunciation. The differences between Dutch
and Flemish are like those between American English and British
English, though much more pronounced.
Most Flemish dialects are spoken in the northern region of
Belgium, and are distinct from the Hollandic Dutch spoken
in The Netherlands. This distinction has even been recognized
by Microsoft, which has language settings for Dutch (Belgium)
and Dutch (Netherlands).
So what's the difference between Irish and Gaelic?
Irish is the official language of the Republic of Ireland,
even though only a fraction of the population speaks it fluently.
Since it is called Gaeilge in Irish,
many English speakers confuse it with Gaelic, which is not
only
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incorrect but offensive to the Irish. My experience in Ireland
led me to believe that the Irish are fiercely independent
and proud of their heritage, so to confuse something truly
Irish with anything else is not something you want to get
in the habit of doing.
For the linguists out there, both Irish and Gaelic (sometimes
called Scottish Gaelic) are members of the Goidelic branch
of Celtic languages. For the rest of us, that just means that
while the languages have much in common, they are distinct
and should not be confused.
So to keep your head from being bashed in by a Guinness-imbibing
Irishman, just remember that Irish is spoken in Ireland, and
Gaelic is spoken in Scotland.
NEAT-O
A BRIEF HISTORY OF WESTMINSTER ABBEY
 Of
all the churches and buildings I visited while in Europe,
Westminster Abbey was by far my favorite. I knew that William
the Conqueror had his coronation in the Abbey back in 1066,
but the architecture is in the Gothic style, which did not
become widespread in Europe until the 12th century. So a question
presented itself: exactly how old is the abbey? Furthermore,
there are many famous people buried within its walls, not
least of whom are former kings of England (including Edward
I and Henry III) and prominent scientists and statesmen (Charles
Darwin and Sir Isaac Newton). Why had the abbey become such
a desirable place to be buried?
The first abbey was built by Edward the Confessor between
1045 and 1050. It was consecrated on December 28, 1065, about
a year before the historic Battle of Hastings. Edward’s
motives for building an abbey were likely twofold. The first:
Edward failed to keep a vow to go on a pilgrimage (probably
to Jerusalem or Rome), and the Pope suggested he earn salvation
by building an abbey. The second: Edward presumed he would
be buried within the abbey, and so the monks would pray for
his soul. Furthermore, the construction of a great abbey would
show the world how powerful he was.
Whatever his motives, Edward’s abbey stands to this
day, albeit in a greatly altered way. The abbey was rebuilt
in the Gothic style—the one we see today—between
1245 and 1517, though most of the work was finished in the
late 14th century under Richard II. The reconstruction was
initiated by Henry III to honor Edward and to provide a more
suitable burial place for Henry’s own tomb. The easily
recognizable west |
