Can't find an old topic on this, so I'll make this one.

 

The flag of Andor is a white lion on a red background, as can be seen here: http://wot.wikia.com/wiki/File:Andor_flag.svg

 

That flag greatly resembles the flag of Flanders. In fact, apart from the colour and the flame coming out of its mouth being a little different, its identical.

 

Have a look at the Dutch(which is the native language of the flanders area) Wiki page: http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vlaanderen

 

I'm wondering if the Flanders flag served as inspiration.

 

You can also see the flag in this youtube video:

At 1:26

 

It's dutch spoken with English subtitles, explaining Belgium.

 

So, the question is: did the Flanders flag indeed serve as inspiration?

I'm not sure this should be in the ask the Staff board.

 

I can't move it up to WoT discussion, could someone do this please.

 

Interesting question though ;)

Its very likely that it did. Jordan was a prodigious reader and amateur historian.

There are a lot of lion-on=a-one-colour background around here.

 

For example, the province of Limburg has this flag (opposite the fictive Andor one):

 

Also, we don't speak Dutch.

 

We speak Flemish.

Can't find an old topic on this, so I'll make this one.

 

The flag of Andor is a white lion on a red background, as can be seen here: http://wot.wikia.com/wiki/File:Andor_flag.svg

 

That flag greatly resembles the flag of Flanders. In fact, apart from the colour and the flame coming out of its mouth being a little different, its identical.

Is that a flame? I thought it was a tongue.

 

Also, where does the Andor flag come from? Fan made from descriptions in the books? I always envisioned the lion on the flag to look like the lion in the chapter icon.

Also, we don't speak Dutch.

 

We speak Flemish.

Flemish is a sub-form of dutch. It is "Dutch as spoken in Flemish Belgium". Either is good.

 

Read up on the generally accepted standard: http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgisch-Nederlands

don't like it? Tough luck. It's called a democracy: majority gets their way, and the majority wanted it defined like this. We speak a variant of official dutch, know as Flemish. That doesn't separate it from Dutch. You can claim both that I speak Dutch and Flemish, both claims would be true.

 

 

Is that a flame? I thought it was a tongue.

 

Also, where does the Andor flag come from? Fan made from descriptions in the books? I always envisioned the lion on the flag to look like the lion in the chapter icon.

Rather large to be a tongue... Could be one, I never heard the official explanation behind it...

 

I honestly don't know who made this, or if RJ ever voiced approval of this version.

 

EDIT: I looked it up, it's a tongue. My mistake there.

How about the seal of Finland? It has a yellow lion on a red backround

 

http://koti.mbnet.fi/tibe9mm/Suomen_vaakuna.png

 

Ok maybe not as looking as few lions before but the idea is that we can't know for sure as the only person who knew this is dead. Though I think there may be much references to the real history we haven't found yet and this may be one of them.

generally accepted standard: http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgisch-Nederlands

 

This is probably the worst common mistake possible. Taking Wikipedia for an "accepted standard".

 

This is not the place for linguistic discussions. Surfing around, Flemish is accepted as separate language by a lot of sites which have multi-lingual options. Jumping to my mind immediately: Travian, Hattrick, WN, ... . Others don't (Wikipedia f.e. - vls.wikipedia.org is West-Flemish). No discussion, just a fact proving this remains a dispute. The first line is much more important.

generally accepted standard: http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgisch-Nederlands

 

This is probably the worst common mistake possible. Taking Wikipedia for an "accepted standard".

 

This is not the place for linguistic discussions. Surfing around, Flemish is accepted as separate language by a lot of sites which have multi-lingual options. Jumping to my mind immediately: Travian, Hattrick, WN, ... . Others don't (Wikipedia f.e. - vls.wikipedia.org is West-Flemish). No discussion, just a fact proving this remains a dispute. The first line is much more important.

 

Anybody can use a catchphrase like that. What Wikipedia does is document what the more official organizations of countries view as standard. For languages and their geographical limit, the documentation is easily obtained from the various governments.

 

Saying that because it's Wikipedia, it can't be trusted, is too paranoid to make a solid decision.

 

Websites making a separate translation while there is already a language the Flemish can understand, is an insult, as it shows that the creators think us too dumb to understand normal Dutch.

 

I'm sticking to the conviction that Flemish is nothing but a Dutch dialect. It is not a valid language on its own.

 

How about the seal of Finland? It has a yellow lion on a red backround

 

http://koti.mbnet.fi/tibe9mm/Suomen_vaakuna.png

 

Ok maybe not as looking as few lions before but the idea is that we can't know for sure as the only person who knew this is dead. Though I think there may be much references to the real history we haven't found yet and this may be one of them.

Didn't know that. It does indeed look very similar.

This really isn't the appropriate forum to be debating linguistics.

This really isn't the appropriate forum to be debating linguistics.

 

Semantics, on the other hand...

 

Self preservation. Sorry Jen, I've engaged in similar conversations several times.

I will slap you so hard your face will fall off and you will love it. You will be looking down at your own face, but you won't be able to, because your eyes are on your face and you will love it.

This is not the place for linguistic discussions.

 

This really isn't the appropriate forum to be debating linguistics.

 

You should read my last post :o ;D

I will slap you so hard your face will fall off and you will love it. You will be looking down at your own face, but you won't be able to, because your eyes are on your face and you will love it.

 

How... visceral.

 

I certainly shall love it. Shall I call you Great Mistress, or would that be taking things too far?

Going back on topic I always assumed that the flag was a variation of the English flag. While reading I always assumed that Andor= England, Cairiehn(sp)=France, Tear= Spain, Illian = Greece, Murandy= Scotland and Ireland, etc. etc.

I will slap you so hard your face will fall off and you will love it. You will be looking down at your own face, but you won't be able to, because your eyes are on your face and you will love it.

 

How... visceral.

 

I certainly shall love it. Shall I call you Great Mistress, or would that be taking things too far?

 

No, just Kathana is fine for now. =)

I will slap you so hard your face will fall off and you will love it. You will be looking down at your own face, but you won't be able to, because your eyes are on your face and you will love it.

 

How... visceral.

 

I certainly shall love it. Shall I call you Great Mistress, or would that be taking things too far?

 

Call her Grandmumsy, I hear she loves that name.

There are a lot of those around, so it's a stretch to say that he did it because of Flanders.

I will slap you so hard your face will fall off and you will love it. You will be looking down at your own face, but you won't be able to, because your eyes are on your face and you will love it.

 

How... visceral.

 

I certainly shall love it. Shall I call you Great Mistress, or would that be taking things too far?

 

Call her Grandmumsy, I hear she loves that name.

 

Face + Fire = Facefire!!!!

Im not even sure what this thread is about anymore.  ???

Here is a pic of the UK's Royal Coat of Arms:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/84/UK_Royal_Coat_of_Arms.svg

 

The bit that we are interested in is the top right segement of the sheild, the shape of the lion depicted is similar to http://wot.wikia.com/wiki/File:Andor_flag.svg but as it has been stated before, several flags, standards and coats of arms have similar lions depicted.

Going back on topic I always assumed that the flag was a variation of the English flag.

The English flag has three lions. Scotland only has the one, rampant.

While reading I always assumed that Andor= England, Cairiehn(sp)=France, Tear= Spain, Illian = Greece, Murandy= Scotland and Ireland, etc. etc.

Something of an oversimplification. Don't try too hard to find one-to-one correspondance between countries in Randland and the real world, it won't get you anywhere.

 

Im not even sure what this thread is about anymore.

The best name to call Kat to wind her up.

 

The bit that we are interested in is the top right segement of the sheild.

That's the Scottish bit. As seen here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lionrampant.svg