Hope he never loses his marbles....

**Whitehouse** · May-23-10, 09:30 AM

Serious.... Some Belgians...

**oladub** · May-23-10, 11:42 AM

Belg heeft knikkerslaven = Belgian has an addiction to playing marbles

Puzzling thing was what a nice place they had if he spent so much time timeing marbles. Maybe it is since he retired that he has had the time. Aspbergers?

**Whitehouse** · May-23-10, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by oladub

Belg heeft knikkerslaven = Belgian has an addiction to playing marbles

I guess Babelfish is on the fritz. Knikkerslaven translates as Marble slaves. I think you mean knikkerverslaving, which translates as marble addiction.

**oladub** · May-23-10, 05:57 PM

Originally Posted by Whitehouse

I guess Babelfish is on the fritz. Knikkerslaven translates as Marble slaves. I think you mean knikkerverslaving, which translates as marble addiction.

I was trying to translate the title form the article but I couldn't cut and paste it or remember to include the ver.

You are wrong about Babelfish though. It was a 1911 version of Krameers' Engelsch Woordenboek combined with a faulty memory.

**Whitehouse** · May-23-10, 06:31 PM

That's "Kramers". But are you of Dutch ancestry?

**oladub** · May-24-10, 12:35 AM

My maternal grandparents were from Flanders. When I looked at your OP article, I notice the order, industry, and dark wood; notes from the past.

The marble fascination, though, did not fit well with my stereotype profile of Flemings because it wasn't very practical. Good workmanship and thoroughness count for something though.

I assume that you have a Lowland connection.

**Whitehouse** · May-24-10, 10:21 AM

Originally Posted by oladub

My maternal grandparents were from Flanders. When I looked at your OP article, I notice the order, industry, and dark wood; notes from the past.

The marble fascination, though, did not fit well with my stereotype profile of Flemings because it wasn't very practical. Good workmanship and thoroughness count for something though.

I assume that you have a Lowland connection.

Dutch. And we like to make fun of Belgians, and vice versa so that cancels things out.

A bit like you Americans who like to make fun of Canadians. Just a bit cheeky fun.