PDH, what is the difference btwn den & de (Haan)?

[Guennadiy VANIN]

was a first wonder upon looking at the cover of the book

[Marilyn de Queiroz]

What is the difference between ben and bin, or between Mac and Mc or between de and di? Language.

[Peter den Haan]

In this case, "den" and "de" are actually one and the same word; the former is an old spelling that got into disuse somewhere in the first half of the last century. Obviously, this gives my surname a certain oldfashioned dignity, so I always absolutely insist on that "n"
Seriously, it's good fun to list the indignities my surname has suffered at the hands of those British barbarians
- Peter

[Guennadiy VANIN]

Peter den Haan, thanks.
Y-e, I beleive any English-speaking country is victim of the absence of necessity to study other languages and cultures. What language is it?
[This message has been edited by G Vanin (edited November 20, 2001).]