Tag Archives: “Dutch”-terms
How The Dutch Reach Became an Official Recommendation in the UK Posted by Sten on Jan 31, 2022
Since last Saturday, the UK Highway Code explicitly includes a recommendation for the Hollandse Greep (Dutch reach). And this can be a live-saving move – if you open your door and hit somebody, you can be fined a £1,000! So what is this Dutch reach, why did it become a recommendation now, and – the…
Dutch Terms – How Drinking Makes Agreements Dutch Posted by Sten on Jan 21, 2022
That title might sound weird – what do agreements and drinking have in common? And how do the Dutch get involved? There are quite a number of English words where you can ask yourself that question. In this series on “Dutch”-terms, we explore these words and look at their history and how they got their…
What’s Dutch about Dutch Gold? Posted by Sten on May 10, 2021
Today, we’ll look at a “Dutch”-term again – a shiny one! But is it just sheen? What is Dutch gold, or, more aptly, Dutch metal? For more posts in the “Dutch”-terms series, click here. What’s Dutch about Dutch metal/Dutch gold? Dutch gold or Dutch metal is brass that has a yellow color that makes it…
What’s Dutch About the Dutch Act? Posted by Sten on Mar 26, 2021
Let’s revisit the “Dutch”-terms series today. There are many curious words in English that in some way refer to the Dutch. Here we find out what’s Dutch (or not) about them. We might get a little dark here – we talk about the Dutch act today. What is a Dutch act? The Dutch act, quite…
What Is Dutch About Dutch Process Cocoa? Posted by Sten on Feb 18, 2021
We’ve discussed some “Dutch”-terms here before, such as the Dutch Oven, going Dutch, Dutch Comfort and more. Today, I want to focus on another term like that – Dutch Process Chocolate. I’ve never heard of it, so what is it, actually? And what makes the process Dutch? What is Dutch Process, or Dutched Cocoa? Dutch…
What’s Dutch About The Dutch Oven? Posted by Sten on Oct 2, 2020
While many of the “Dutch” terms that I’ve discussed here on the blog are entirely unrelated to the Dutch, today we have one that actually is! The braadpan (frying pan) made of gietijzer (cast iron) was a Dutch invention that made its way into the early North American colonies. Especially on the trails westwards, it was a popular cooking…
Dutch Comfort Is Less Cosy Than It Sounds Posted by Sten on Dec 16, 2019
In our series on “Dutch”-terms, like Dutching, Dutch courage or Dutch uncles, we’ve found that many of these terms have an historic, often pejorative origin. So is the case with Dutch comfort, a term that follows the line of diminishing terms. What does it mean, and how would you use it? Let’s find out. Trying…