Hung up on values
I found this fitting room sign at Zara’s in Rotterdam. The joke is fitting since the discussion about Dutch values is far from over. Rotterdam also happens to be the Dutch city with the most foreigners, so this piece of Dunglish has an extra layer of meaning. Last but not least, the Dutch says to leave your handbag (handtas) on the hook, not specifically your valuables.
March 6th, 2005 at 9:50 pm
DUNGLISH.
Natashka’s interesting new blog Dunglish features unfortunate attempts by Dutch-speakers to write things in English. Recent entries have highlighted the Small Talk Eating House,” a sign that says “Beware of pickpockets. Please hang your vallues on t…
March 9th, 2005 at 5:59 am
They just misspelled the Dutch word ‘valies’ (bag)…
March 9th, 2005 at 4:57 pm
For some time in the 1980s, a multilingual billboard at Heathrow airport in London exhorted Dutch-speaking travellers not to vergeef to pick up some belastingvije quederen before their flight, so Dunglish works in the other direction too!
March 10th, 2005 at 11:43 pm
The same goes for ZARA Amsterdam (for years now). Originally they are Spanish, though.