Ask a Dutchman!

[Glassfan]

Looks like he's all set for the zombiepocolypse...

 

[Jouzou]

If you get a sore throat, does it make some words too painful to say?

 

[Takhisis]

From TVTropes' entry on Poirot Speak:

●There is also a series of books full of the mistakes Dutch people have made whilst trying to speak English, but while still using Dutch words/grammar. This stems from the fact that English and Dutch are related, and share many of the same words. Sometimes words sound familiar, but mean something slightly different, but hilarious, or something different entirely.

○It also comments on the fact that a lot of Dutch people literally translate Dutch proverbs into English.

How true is this?

 

[Agent327]

The second is a regularly quoted example of Dunglish, although I'm not sure how often that actually happens. I've never heard of an actual series of Dunglish books, but there are a number of books on Dunglish, as well as web sites with quotes.

This collection shows different variants of Dunglish: https://www.google.nl/search?q=dung...AXStoGwAw&sqi=2&ved=0CFMQsAQ&biw=1680&bih=886

And according to the wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunglish) the Free University (Free in the sense of non-governmental, i.e. Protestant) has a research project on Dunglish.

 

[anandus]

From TVTropes' entry on Poirot Speak:
How true is this?

Very true, the aforementioned Dunglish.
It works both ways by the way, bad English due the different meanings of the Dutch word ('Dunglish'), but also bad Dutch due to the meaning of the English word.

For instance, a mistake I often used to make is usage of the Dutch word 'globaal' (due to the English word 'global').
In English the word means 'referring to the world'. In Dutch it means 'roughly'. It makes for some weird sentences.

 

[Takhisis]

Pffttt&#8230; Dunglish&#8230; <chortles>

The answer to this situation is that everyone should learn Dutch.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

This says me nothing.

 

[The_J]

Fun fact: As EU citizen you can live in the Netherlands just by registering with your ID card, but to get a mobile phone contract you need a passport.


Means I'll have to get a prepaid card .

 

[dutchfire]

Really, I would expect ID and passport to be legally equivalent for this. I'd try it again (at a different shop/provider).

 

[Takhisis]

What does it say on the pot to the right?

Spoiler :

(Yes, that's right, I'm asking the Dutch about pots. Tough luck.)

 

[Agent327]

All I can decipher is: "suitable for" (geschikt voor) and "Careful!" (Let op!). That thing in front is blocking the text.

 

[dutchfire]

It's a warning that it isn't suitable for children.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

That thing in front is blocking the text.

Het is een model van een Amerikaanse Lunar Lander.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

It sure is

Anyway, the complete text reads: suitable for the caution all older all user 8 years.

 

[The_J]

Really, I would expect ID and passport to be legally equivalent for this. I'd try it again (at a different shop/provider).

Might try to, but the pdf sheet looked somehow convincing .

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Might try to, but the pdf sheet looked somehow convincing .

Try something that always works for Americans:

Shout "IK KEN MIJN RECHTEN DIT IS EEN VRIJ LAND"

 

[dutchfire]

I think "That's discrimination, I'm going to bring you to the European Court." will sound more scary.

 

[Takhisis]

You should react as whatever humoncomics decrees your stereotypical countrymen behave like.

 

[Agent327]

Yup. Just mention Youp van 't Hek.

 

[strijder20]

From TVTropes' entry on Poirot Speak:
How true is this?

I've seen that book in a bookstore just a few weeks ago.