User talk:Stefaanvk

Hello, Stefaanvk! Welcome to Wikivoyage.

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Thanks for improving our Sint-Niklaas and Belgium articles! :) --Ypsilon (talk) 13:24, 18 June 2020 (UTC)


 * Thanks for your contributions! As a side note, and by no means do you have to do this, but there is a template that automatically converts kilometres to miles to aid foreign readers. If you type it will automatically convert the value to miles in addition to showing the kilometres. It's entirely optional, but you might want to consider using it. --Comment by  Selfie City  ( talk  |  contributions ) 22:57, 19 June 2020 (UTC)


 * Also, Bruges will be featured as the Destination of the Month in September. If you have something to add to the article, you're more than welcome. --Ypsilon (talk) 19:08, 8 August 2020 (UTC)

Meaning of "belfry"
In common usage, at least to the extent we use the word in the U.S., this word means a church tower. Just FYI. I think "belfry" is used quite often for church towers or at least the rooms with bells in them in Britain, too, but someone could confirm or deny that. Therefore, there's a problem in defining "belfry" as referring exclusively to secular buildings. You can have a look at the Merriam-Webster definition here. I have the OED in hardcover and will look at their definition later.

Most importantly, thank you very much for adding so much content! That's by far the most important thing!

All the best,

Ikan Kekek (talk) 11:55, 26 August 2020 (UTC)


 * I was curious enough to bring out my copy of the OED, inherited from my parents and copyright 1955:


 * Belfry.
 * 1. (obsolete) A wooden tower, usually moveable, formerly used in besieging fortifications. Prob., at first, a mere shed or pent-house. -1530
 * 2. A shed to shelter cattle, carts, produce, etc. 1553
 * 3. A bell-tower 1440
 * b. The room of the church tower in which the bells are hung. 1549
 * c. (obsolete) The part of the floor under the tower, where the ringers stand. -1659
 * 4. Naut. An ornamental framing, with a covering, under which the ship's bell is hung. 1769


 * What do you make of that? Those are all the definitions. Ikan Kekek (talk) 12:26, 26 August 2020 (UTC)

Well the problem is that 'belfort' in Dutch is much more narrowly defined as a (medieval) watchtower with alarm bells erected by cities, attached to the city hall or other civic building, to protect the city and as an expression of civic freedom, power and authority against (!) the Church and the King. A church tower with bells is never called a 'belfort' here. These historic structures are very specific to Belgium and northern France, and in this regard, the one in Sluis is the only one in the Netherlands. I also cannot help that the translation into English (belfry) is not as exact, and belfry in English seems to have a broader meaning, also because these structures don't exist elsewhere, and definitely not in the US (there were no cities there in the Middle Ages). That's why a definition here is necessary, to point out what the Dutch 'belfort'actually means and why the one in Sluis is unique in NL.

--Stefaanvk (talk) 15:38, 26 August 2020 (UTC)

You can check on Wikipedia and compare the English article about 'belfry' to the other language versions. The English article is the only exception defining belfry so vaguely (although even there is stated that 'particularly in continental Europe for such a tower attached to a city hall or other civic building'). All the other language versions explicitly define it as I do, and specifically refer to the Low Countries, Belgium and northern France in particular.

All the best,

--Stefaanvk (talk) 15:57, 26 August 2020 (UTC)


 * Yes, do define the Dutch term briefly, as relevant to the article. Ikan Kekek (talk) 16:00, 26 August 2020 (UTC)

I already did, under 'See', where the Belfort is the first sight listed.

--Stefaanvk (talk) 16:04, 26 August 2020 (UTC)
 * Very well done! Ikan Kekek (talk) 17:33, 26 August 2020 (UTC)

Thx and indeed good the confusion about the meaning is solved now. I have another question: how to listify and put listed items on the map in WV? I have no clue how this works and don't find information on it either.

--Stefaanvk (talk) 17:39, 26 August 2020 (UTC)


 * Above your edit screen, see the word "Listings". To the left of it, if you click the temple, you get a "See" listing template; the bicycle produces a "Do" template; the shopping cart a "Buy" template, and then you see icons for "Eat" and "Drink" templates, the airplane produces a "Go" template that's sometimes used for train stations, bus stations and the like, and the "i" just produces a "Listing" template for listings that don't fit into any other category. You can also look at Listings. Ikan Kekek (talk) 20:00, 26 August 2020 (UTC)