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					Originally Posted by ila  You are muddying the waters, smc.  I have known and worked with a great many Dutch and Flemish people.  I would say that Flemish is only slightly different than Dutch, not even enough of a difference to call it a dialect.  My Dutch friends, in my experience, would agree with me.  My Flemish friends would disagree.  I really don't want to take a side on this question and as I have a great deal of respect for all of the Dutch and Flemish friends that I have.  I have been to both Holland and Belgium and I liked both countries.  I did however often find Dutch and Flemish hard to follow. | 
	
 That was my point precisely. I didn't express an opinion but only pointed a light on the Dutch/Flemish question. My experience is also the same with Dutch and Flemish people 
viz. how they would characterize their languages.