Dutch Speak

I am a Flemish graduate student at USC. I was pleasantly surprised to see an article on Brugge in your travel section (“The Venice of Belgium,” Aug. 9). In his otherwise correct contribution, your reporter states the following: “In Flanders, where Brugge lies, the language is Flemish, which is closer to Dutch than it is to French.” Flemish, however, is Dutch. Some people say that it is a dialect of Dutch because it sounds different. In Flanders and in the Netherlands people speak Dutch, just as in the U.S. and in Great Britain the people speak English. The only difference between Flemish and Dutch are the pronunciations of some words, the same differences that exist between American and British English.

BRUNO REYNTJENS

Hermosa Beach