Re: CCL:Spelling question: ?an ?er Waals

["Edward S. Blurock" <Edward.Blurock &$at$& risc.uni-linz.ac.at>]

 In pursuit of the truth about this spelling potential barrier,
 I thought it appropriate to ask my colleague at the institute:
                        Carl Van Geem
 The answer seems to ask more questions than it solves (I guess that's science)
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 Here we go...
 First of all, there is a difference between The Netherlands and Flanders
 (or Belgium) in this matter. In The Netherlands, it's quite simple: always
 write `van' (un-capitalised). In Belgium, the difference is that people
 with `van' are supposed to have blue blood. The ones (like me) writing
 their name with capital `V' are just ordinary people...
 So, I would go for "Van der Waals", except if you could demonstrate
 that this guy was actually Dutch (-8 or was a prince or so.
 There are no silly questions...,
 Yours,
 Carl.