Dunglish

I’m shaking my head and saying ‘Oh my God’! A Dutch company came up with a sausage called Beat It to help stop hunger on the way home from work or after the gym. I have so many problems with this name:

It reminds me of Michael Jackson
It sound so rude! I mean, beating, sausage — OMG!
I can’t imagine an Anglo-Saxon company seriously putting a sausage on the market with this name.

And guess what? They have plans for a second sausage called B-Strong that will give you energy. That’s not as bad, but I’m not sure. B-Strong or Beat It!

I have a cold – again! I hope to be back to normal in a few days.

There’s a wind of conservatism and a reaffirming of Christianity blowing over The Netherlands these days. It comes in the form of more Christian political parties in the government, but also the amateur Christian girl group, X6. I’ve never heard them, I know it’s not for me and the talent show they are part of is just another reality show that won’t change the world.

However, the name ‘X6′ is a piece of Dunglish. It is meant as ‘excess’, but cannot be read as such in English (’exsix’) or even in Dutch for that matter (’exzes’). And for those who missed that lesson, here is what the word excess should sound like in plain English. The perfume XS by Paco Rabanne got it right.

(Tip: Nils)

There’s a new blog in town and it’s called 24oranges. It is a Netherlands-based, English-language blog about anything Dutch that’s fun, interesting, weird, cool, and otherwise unique. 24 oranges is also the chance to blog about something else than tourist and expat information. And Dunglish (haha).

They are still looking for more Internet-savvy contributors with near native and native English skills. I should know, I’m behind this madness as well.

If you want to join in the gezelligheid (fun, Dutch style), send an e-mail to submissions (at) 24oranges (dot) nl