1,278
edits
no edit summary
mNo edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Belgium-sidebar}}{{breadcrumb | {{Belgium-sidebar}} | ||
{{breadcrumb | |||
| link1=[[Belgium Genealogy|Belgium]] | | link1=[[Belgium Genealogy|Belgium]] | ||
| link2= | | link2= | ||
| Line 13: | Line 14: | ||
|[[File:Belgium Languages.png|500px]] | |[[File:Belgium Languages.png|500px]] | ||
|} | |} | ||
Belgium has always been linguistically divided and to this day there is much political division between the different regions of Belgium. | |||
Belgium can be divided into four broad regions: | |||
In '''Flanders''' (Vlaanderen), the language was and is Flemish, a variant of Dutch | |||
In '''Brussels''', the local language was traditionally Flemish, but since 1800 has been progressively displaced by French. Brussels has been designated a bilingual area but in practice only 10% of modern day Brussels speaks Dutch. | |||
In '''Wallonia''', the local language is French. | |||
In parts of '''Liege''' that were annexed from Germany following WW1, German is still used. | |||
What a genealogist needs to know is: | |||
Catholic [[Belgium Church Records|church records]] always used Latin. Other churches used the local language. | |||
[[Belgium Civil Registration|Civil registration]] and government records can be written in either French or Flemish depending on the area and the political situation at the time. | |||
Any other records are likely to be written in the local language. | |||
==Dutch Records== | ==Dutch Records== | ||
*[[Dutch Genealogical Word List]] | *[[Dutch Genealogical Word List]] | ||
*[https://familysearch.org/ask/learningViewer/93 Reading Dutch Handwritten Records] | *[https://familysearch.org/ask/learningViewer/93 Reading Dutch Handwritten Records] | ||
*[https://s3.amazonaws.com/ps-services-us-east-1-914248642252/s3/research-wiki-elasticsearch-prod-s3bucket/images/0/05/1-NL_Civil_Registration_Birth_Records-Instruction.pdf Reading Dutch Birth Records] | *[https://s3.amazonaws.com/ps-services-us-east-1-914248642252/s3/research-wiki-elasticsearch-prod-s3bucket/images/0/05/1-NL_Civil_Registration_Birth_Records-Instruction.pdf Reading Dutch Birth Records] | ||
*[https://s3.amazonaws.com/ps-services-us-east-1-914248642252/s3/research-wiki-elasticsearch-prod-s3bucket/images/e/ef/1-NL_Marriage_Records_in_Paragraph_Format-Instruction.pdf Reading Dutch Marriage Records] | *[https://s3.amazonaws.com/ps-services-us-east-1-914248642252/s3/research-wiki-elasticsearch-prod-s3bucket/images/e/ef/1-NL_Marriage_Records_in_Paragraph_Format-Instruction.pdf Reading Dutch Marriage Records] | ||
*[https://s3.amazonaws.com/ps-services-us-east-1-914248642252/s3/research-wiki-elasticsearch-prod-s3bucket/images/0/0f/1-NL_Civil_Registration_Death_Records-Instruction.pdf Reading Dutch Death Records] | *[https://s3.amazonaws.com/ps-services-us-east-1-914248642252/s3/research-wiki-elasticsearch-prod-s3bucket/images/0/0f/1-NL_Civil_Registration_Death_Records-Instruction.pdf Reading Dutch Death Records] | ||
*[https://familysearch.org/ask/learningViewer/884 Names in Belgium and the Netherlands] | *[https://familysearch.org/ask/learningViewer/884 Names in Belgium and the Netherlands] | ||
==German Records== | ==German Records== | ||
*It's easier than you think! You do not have to be fluent in French and German to use these records, as there is only a limited vocabulary used in them. By learning a few key phrases, you will be able to read them adequately. Here are some resources for learning to read German records. | *It's easier than you think! You do not have to be fluent in French and German to use these records, as there is only a limited vocabulary used in them. By learning a few key phrases, you will be able to read them adequately. Here are some resources for learning to read German records. | ||
:::[[German Word List|German Genealogical Word List]] | |||
:::[[German Word List|German Genealogical Word List]] | |||
:::[[Germany Handwriting|German Handwriting]] | :::[[Germany Handwriting|German Handwriting]] | ||
*These video webinars will teach you to read German handwriting: | *These video webinars will teach you to read German handwriting: | ||
:*[https://familysearch.org/ask/learningViewer/375 Old German Script Part 1] | :*[https://familysearch.org/ask/learningViewer/375 Old German Script Part 1] | ||
:*[https://familysearch.org/ask/learningViewer/377 Old German Script Part 2] | :*[https://familysearch.org/ask/learningViewer/377 Old German Script Part 2] | ||
:*[https://familysearch.org/ask/learningViewer/426 Old German Script (German Church and Civil Records) Part 3] | :*[https://familysearch.org/ask/learningViewer/426 Old German Script (German Church and Civil Records) Part 3] | ||
*Also online interactive slideshow lessons are available to help you learn to read these records: | |||
*Also online interactive slideshow lessons are available to help you learn to read these records: | |||
:*{{LearningCenter2|38|'''Reading German Handwritten Records Lesson 1: Kurrent Letters'''}} | :*{{LearningCenter2|38|'''Reading German Handwritten Records Lesson 1: Kurrent Letters'''}} | ||
:*{{LearningCenter2|39|'''Reading German Handwritten Records Lesson 2: Making Words in Kurrent'''}} | :*{{LearningCenter2|39|'''Reading German Handwritten Records Lesson 2: Making Words in Kurrent'''}} | ||
:*{{LearningCenter2|40|'''Reading German Handwritten Records Lesson 3: Reading Kurrent Documents'''}}. In this lesson, you will explore several types of German genealogical records, including birth, baptismal, marriage, and death records. | :*{{LearningCenter2|40|'''Reading German Handwritten Records Lesson 3: Reading Kurrent Documents'''}}. In this lesson, you will explore several types of German genealogical records, including birth, baptismal, marriage, and death records. | ||
:*[https://script.byu.edu/Pages/German/en/intro.aspx '''German Script Tutorial'''] | :*[https://script.byu.edu/Pages/German/en/intro.aspx '''German Script Tutorial'''] | ||
This converter will show you how any phrase or name might look in German script: | This converter will show you how any phrase or name might look in German script: | ||
*[http://www.kurrentschrift.net/index.php?s=schreiben: Kurrentschrift Converter] (enter German genealogical word, click on "convert", view your word in Kurrentschrift (Gothic handwriting) | *[http://www.kurrentschrift.net/index.php?s=schreiben: Kurrentschrift Converter] (enter German genealogical word, click on "convert", view your word in Kurrentschrift (Gothic handwriting) | ||
== French Records== | ==French Records== | ||
You do not have to be fluent in French to use these records, as there is only a limited vocabulary used in them. By learning a few key phrases, you will be able to read them adequately. Here are some resources for learning to read French records. | You do not have to be fluent in French to use these records, as there is only a limited vocabulary used in them. By learning a few key phrases, you will be able to read them adequately. Here are some resources for learning to read French records. | ||
:::[[French Genealogical Word List|French Genealogical Word List]] | |||
:::[[French Handwriting|French Handwriting]]. | :::[[French Genealogical Word List|French Genealogical Word List]] | ||
*There is a three-lesson course in reading French Records: | :::[[French Handwriting|French Handwriting]]. | ||
::::{{LearningCenter2|83|Reading French Handwritten Records Lesson 1: The French Alphabet}}, | |||
*There is a three-lesson course in reading French Records: | |||
::::{{LearningCenter2|83|Reading French Handwritten Records Lesson 1: The French Alphabet}}, | |||
::::{{LearningCenter2|84|Reading French Handwritten Records Lesson 2: Key Words and Phrases}} | ::::{{LearningCenter2|84|Reading French Handwritten Records Lesson 2: Key Words and Phrases}} | ||
::::{{LearningCenter2|86|Reading French Handwritten Records Lesson 3: Reading French Records}} | ::::{{LearningCenter2|86|Reading French Handwritten Records Lesson 3: Reading French Records}} | ||
*For more instruction on using these records, see: | *For more instruction on using these records, see: | ||
** [[France Church Records|France Church Records]] | **[[France Church Records|France Church Records]] | ||
**[[France Civil Registration- Vital Records|France Civil Registration- Vital Records]]. | **[[France Civil Registration- Vital Records|France Civil Registration- Vital Records]]. | ||
**[https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/Chapter_1:_OLD_FRENCH_RECORDS | **[https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/Chapter_1:_OLD_FRENCH_RECORDS Chapter 1: OLD FRENCH RECORDS] | ||
**[https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/Chapter_2:_PARISH_CHRISTENING_AND_CIVIL_BIRTH_ENTRIES Chapter 2: PARISH CHRISTENING AND CIVIL BIRTH ENTRIES] | **[https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/Chapter_2:_PARISH_CHRISTENING_AND_CIVIL_BIRTH_ENTRIES Chapter 2: PARISH CHRISTENING AND CIVIL BIRTH ENTRIES] | ||
**[https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/Chapter_3:_MARRIAGE_ENTRIES Chapter 3:MARRIAGE ENTRIES]. | **[https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/Chapter_3:_MARRIAGE_ENTRIES Chapter 3:MARRIAGE ENTRIES]. | ||
==Latin Records== | ==Latin Records== | ||
Records of the Catholic church will usually be written in Latin: | Records of the Catholic church will usually be written in Latin: | ||
*[[Latin Genealogical Word List|'''Latin Genealogical Word List''']] | *[[Latin Genealogical Word List|'''Latin Genealogical Word List''']] | ||
== References | ==References== | ||
{{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
[[Category:Belgium]] | [[Category:Belgium]] | ||