Deze, die, dit, dat Posted by Transparent Language on Nov 10, 2008
As I was browsing – again- on the internet, I noticed a little problem some people have with the Dutch language. I’m talking about the pronouns dit/deze and die/dat. I think in English both pair of pronouns would be this/that. Of course, in Dutch we have common gender words and neuter gender words that’s why…
Love and Marriage Posted by Transparent Language on Nov 5, 2008
I am a romantic at heart. When watching television; tv shows, movies, soap operas… my one guilty pleasure is swooning over romantic marriage proposals. From the carefully planned dinners with the ring in a piece of ice cream, to the spontaneous proposals in the spur of the moment, with nothing but a piece of string…
Dutch Consonants Posted by Transparent Language on Nov 2, 2008
In Dutch we have about twenty consonants. These consonants are categorized by way of articulation in five different ‘sound’ groups. I’m not sure if there are official English translation for each of the sound groups, so I’ll just give you the Dutch term and I’ll try to describe the sounds as best as I can…
Weather in the Netherlands Posted by Transparent Language on Oct 27, 2008
The climate is changing. You hear about this every day. It’s a thought of concern, also – maybe even especially – for the Dutch people, who’ve been living with the dangers of the sea for as long as one can remember. We’ve confined the waters with dykes. Sometimes successfully, sometimes the waters fought back. In…
Dutch between German and English Posted by Transparent Language on Oct 22, 2008
Dutch: More like German or more like English? Dutch is often called the bridge language between German and English. And it is understandable why. In one case Dutch seems very alike German and in the other Dutch seems very alike English. I think it’s both true. Okay, important differences between Dutch and German you’d have…
The Dutch school system Posted by Transparent Language on Oct 20, 2008
Today I will tell you something about the Dutch school system. In the Netherlands the children have a compulsory education up to their 16th year. Most of the Dutch children go to primary school when they reach the age of 4. Before that, parents can choose to bring their young ones to kindergarten. Usually, this…
Dutch Cuisine Posted by Transparent Language on Oct 14, 2008
Dutch Cuisine Though I do not know a lot about the history of Dutch cuisine, I would like to tell you what a Dutch breakfast, lunch and dinner can look like. The Dutch are famous for their dairy products, especially for all the (cow’s milk) cheeses. Still, cheese in my home is not an often…