elfje
May 29, 2003, 11:17am
101
jjimm, ever heard of “a tall man in a low land” by Harry Pierson?
It’s a book about the belgians, written by an Englishman (a very funny one, too).
It’s spot on, describes the belgians better than I could’ve done.
We’re not that different from the Irish, history wise, except that the English were our allies and the French our enemies…
hey, we, the Belgians, provided the English with and chips, and hops for your famous bitter.
So there
Kal
May 29, 2003, 11:22am
102
If anybody wants me, I’ll be on a patch of wasteground setting fire to a fridge.
Taking a break from beating the wife, so;).
I’ll be standing on a cliff gazing over the Atlantic reciting poetry with a pint of Guiness in my hand and a flame haired beauty by my side.
elfje
May 29, 2003, 12:01pm
105
oy, if yer going to bash me, to it correctly:
don’t equate the Flemish with Belgians. The Walloons mightn’t like it
Kal
May 29, 2003, 12:11pm
107
Well, it is her birthday. That and I’m knackered out from robbing all those Norfolk farmhouses.
Now that’s not fair, going for the romantic stereotypes. If we’re allowed to do that, then I’ll be sat by a campfire in a wooded glade playing a mournful tune on a violin, with the last rays of the evening sun glinting off my golden earring.
*Originally posted by elfje *
don’t equate the Flemish with Belgians. The Walloons mightn’t like it
Wasn’t me, it was Monty Python.
elfje
May 29, 2003, 12:20pm
110
the main Belgian stereotype on the continent is that we’re stupid (sound familiar, Irish Dopers?)
the French and Dutch especially like taking the piss out of us (but don’t try and slag them back, as they’ll be offended…)
Kambuckta: There are 3 main deomgraphic groups in Belgium: The Flemish, living in Flanders, the Northern part of the country (official language: Dutch - 6 million) the Walloons, living in Wallonia or the Southern part of the country (speaking French - 4 million) and a cuppla hundred thousand German speaking Belgians, in what we call the Oostkantons. That particular part was negotiated after WWI, and used to be part of Prussia.
The country itself is quite young, still, founded in 1830.
Actually the country itself is a contradiction in terms.
But keep em coming, I’m havin’ fun!
Gyrate
May 29, 2003, 12:26pm
112
And you beat me to it. “And the winner is…MISERABLE FAT BELGIAN BASTARDS! ”
elfje
May 29, 2003, 12:30pm
113
ugh, I hate sprouts!
wasn’t it Monty Python, too, that said:
Still wonder why they had to be quick. It’s not as if we are.
elfje
May 29, 2003, 12:34pm
114
and being a real irishman, ofcourse you’ll be concentrating on the fuinnes and the not falling off the cliff when you’re plastered, and completely ignore the flame haired beauty by your side. At best you’ll send her to get you another pint.
good pig, i say, good pig!
kabbes
May 29, 2003, 12:44pm
115
Belgian stereotypes? Just look at Poirot!
Moustaches and bald heads are the order of the day. And mayonnaise. And moules frites.
And beer. Good god, the beer.
Actually, come to think of it, hair or lack thereof aside it sounds pretty bloody good to me.
pan
Gyrate
May 29, 2003, 12:48pm
116
Can’t forget Douglas Adams (and I trust this is small enough to slip in under the quotation restrictions):
“The Most Gratuitous Use of the Word “Belgium” in a Serious Screenplay. It’s very prestigious.”
In today’s modern Galaxy there is of course very little still held to be unspeakable. Many words and expressions which only a matter of decades ago were considered so distastefully explicit that, were they merely to be breathed in public, the perpetrator would be shunned, barred from polite society, and in extreme cases shot through the lungs, are now thought to be very healthy and proper, and their use in everyday speech and writing is seen as evidence of a well-adjusted, relaxed and totally un****ed-up personality.
So, for instance, when in a recent national speech the Financial Minister of the Royal World Estate of Quarlvista actually dared to say that due to one thing and another and the fact that no one had made any food for a while and the king seemed to have died and most of the population had been on holiday now for over three years, the economy was now in what he called “one whole joojooflop situation,” everyone was so pleased that he felt able to come out and say it that they quite failed to note that their entire five-thousand-year-old civilization had just collapsed overnight.
But even though words like “joojooflop,” “swut,” and “turlingdrome” are now perfectly acceptable in common usage there is one word that is still beyond the pale. The concept it embodies is so revolting that the publication or broadcast of the word is utterly forbidden in all parts of the Galaxy except for use in Serious Screenplays. There is also, or was , one planet where they didn’t know what it meant, the stupid turlingdromes.
elfje
May 29, 2003, 12:49pm
117
*Originally posted by kabbes *
Moustaches and bald heads are the order of the day. And mayonnaise. And moules frites.
And beer. Good god, the beer.
Actually, come to think of it, hair or lack thereof aside it sounds pretty bloody good to me.
pan **
problem with poirot is he dunn’t exist.
but yes, the beer is divine.
kabbes
May 29, 2003, 1:03pm
118
Doesn’t exist, yet exemplifies the stereotype. That’s all I’m saying.
jr8 , in my copy it’s the most gratuitous use of the word “fuck” in a screenplay. Where has this Belgium thing come from?
pan
jjimm
May 29, 2003, 1:06pm
119
In H2G2, “Belgium” and “Ghent” are both swear words.
elfje
May 29, 2003, 1:10pm
120
i knew there was a good reason I left the country
