Dunglish

This B&B sign from Belgium does get the message across, but it’s a little strange.

As for the folks who have told me that as long as businesses (bigger ones, eh) ‘try’ to communicate in English it should be good enough, I suggest you don’t tell your boss about your work ethic.

I noticed that 95% of all links and pictures sent to me are from Dutch people and foreign nationals. I also enjoy anyone who corrects my English, considering I’m losing it here in the Netherlands. Go ahead, laugh at the irony.

I’m off for a week and a half.

(Photo: Jasper)

I found this on the cover of a bus schedule, listing the buses that go to the beach. My quick and dirty English translation is ‘nice and relaxed to the beach’, which I’d change altogether. At this point, I’d go English all the way and give up the scraps of Dutch. Is there really a copywriter out there who is proud of this gem? Maybe they should consider a career change.

The Dunglish verb ‘runnen’ (’run’) is often used in conversation, but I wouldn’t use it on a business website. It comes to mind faster than the localised version of that verb – blame IT if you must. The most Dutch repellent part is probably ’systeem check’, which is nasty bastard Dunglish. I can’t be bothered to post a link to the site in question, as they hide their business identity, which goes against my principles.

Ask me why ‘run’ is popular in Dutch and my answer will be because it doesn’t need a preposition. English verbs tend to be taken over in many languages when they avoid using a preposition. It’s just a theory of mine.

(Photo: Kees)

Most people in the Netherlands have heard this many times before at university or in the workplace, the story of a foreigner trying to learn Dutch but constantly being spoken to in English (Dunglish). And then, behind their backs, some of those same people bitching that foreigners don’t want to learn Dutch, usually meant to be a badly veiled racist comment aimed at certain groups of foreigners.

Two major assumptions that cause problems:
1. That anything that looks like English or Dunglish makes you more international. Either you are international or you’re not in any language.
2. That all foreigners are so stupid they really believe this minority complex marketing. People chose a university for its reputation, not its identity crisis.

‘Tilburg University’ my ass. English official language of Universiteit Tilburg (article in Dutch). Amusingly enough, this goes against Dutch law.