How do you always manage to find these old threads? I want however to object to (if you don't mind) this: 'platte is French for flat'.
French for flat is plat . In this form : "platte" it really only exists in Dutch and Flemish. It is how we write the adjective from the adverb plat. That is why it struck me as odd when you mentioned it some time ago. What does 'platte' do in the Midwest?