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Kunsan Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

Belgium chocolate or Belgian chocolate

Hi

We can say "Belgian chocolate" (Belgian = adjective), but can we also say "Belgium chocoate"? To my ears it sounds strange, but it seems to be used from time to time. What's your opinion on this?

Regards

Kunsan
  

Top answer

Where did you see it used? g. "England football team"), but "Belgium chocolate" doesn't sound right to me.

— Mr Wordy

  • Where did you see it used?
  • g.
  • "England football team"), but "Belgium chocolate" doesn't sound right to me.
  • ").
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15 Answers
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Where did you see it used? Country names can occasionally be used attributively (e.g. "England football team"), but "Belgium chocolate" doesn't sound right to me.

Having said that, headline writers seem particularly keen on this type of usage, and in that context you sometimes see phrasings that would look odd in ordinary text; for example, "India economy grows 7.9 percent" (rather than
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Rather than "wordy", I would qualify your answer as perspicious and concise. Emotion: wink Thank you very much, this is really helpful.
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Headlines aside, some people just don't hear/know the difference between 'Belgium' and 'Belgian' [only the 'm' and 'n' to differentiate].
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Personally, my understanding was always "Belgium" and I can say that I never heard anyone say "Belgian chocolate" in my recollection. But I supposed people use both forms around the world.

http://www.google.com/search?q
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dimsumexpressPersonally, my understanding was always "Belgium" and I can say that I never heard anyone say "Belgian chocolate" in my recollection.
Are you sure you aren't mishearing it? Would you say "France chocolate"?
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Mr WordyAre you sure you aren't mishearing it? Would you say "France chocolate"?
As I mentioned in my earlier post, depending on who is saying it, Belgium and Belgian are both used and It's quite possible that my recollecting was inaccurate. But I find the link quite intriguing.

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Looking at Google Books (presumed to be a better standard of English than web search!), I get

http://books.google.co.uk/books?q=%22belgium+chocolate+is%22 -- 3 hits (excludes 2 in which the words are used in
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As soon as I read this post, I ran to the kitchen to see what was printed on that package of chocolate I bought the other day. Alas, it said neither "Belgium chocolate" nor "Belgian chocolate". It said "Imported from Belgium".
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Where I'm from we always call them "Canada geese".
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CalifJimNeedless to say, the geese themselves are more or less indifferent to what they're called, so I was quickly forgiven for my past transgressions.

Hahaha........I don't feeling so bad about "Belgium chocolate"
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