Dunglish

On Friday, May 27 in Tilburg, the association Taalverdediging protested against students not speaking Dutch at the Universiteit van Tilburg (University of Tilburg) and the overuse of English (or Dunglish, right?) there.

“If you study here, you have to learn Dutch and integrate”.
Errr, that makes no sense, as students come from other countries and then go back home. I know for a fact that if they are here on a student visa, they are not required to learn Dutch and often do by choice.

“And if you don’t, you’re an unwanted foreigner”.
Come again? This sounds racist to me.

So these folks are against English-language studies at a Dutch university because the Dutch language is going to hell in a handbasket. Where is the cause and effect? What about getting published? That happens in English; every academic in the world knows that.

The university staff is freaked out. Talk about mixing up things.

(Link in Dutch: Brabants Dagblad)

As mentioned in a previous posting, Congratulations wit yourrr occassssion – part 2, this television jingle goes “Congratulations, met je occasion, want een betere vind je niet” (”Congratulations, with your used car, ’cause you won’t find a better one anywhere else.”)

And it’s a rip off of a Eurovision song. What a coinkydink! Here is the link to that famous video site:
Cliff Richard – Congratulations. I so dig his get up. Yes, it reminds of ‘him’, too.

There I was, sitting in the Brussels-Amsterdam train that now goes through Antwerp Central (new tunnel), enjoying a beverage with a free mini-magazine wrapped around it. I had to peel off the mini-magazine because it made noise every time I reached for a sip. I also have the French translation of this Belgian gem, and it has less English words, although the same style.

Anytime is a classic mistake everybody makes, it should be ‘any time’. The rest is also like this, thrown together in three weeks as the Dutch text claims.

Other beauties include ‘long-lasting potentieel’ (’long-lasting potential’), ’soo simpel’ (’verry simple’) and ‘carrièrreswitch’ (’career change’).

Dearest readers,

Some of you left some comments a day or two ago, which got flushed out with the very dirty spam. There were three comments.

Please post them again, Thanks!

WARNING! This is not real Dunglish, but it looks cool.

The second part is in the next window, which altogether should read “Diesel, for successful living”. That’s right, Diesel the clothing brand.

Consider this the Dunglish equivalent of a subliminal message.

(Photo: Yuri)