All Things Holland

For a bizarre, uncomfortable approach to this Dutch blog today's post is about the pain of childbirth.  In the news a few months past, were the Dutch duo Dennis Storm and Valerio Zena.  This daring duo decide to take on strange and mainly painful tasks which are then shown on their live TV show "Proefkonijnen", in the past the pair cooked and ate each others' flesh...oh boy.  This time they decided to take on the "worst pain there is", and therefore they subjected themselves to simulated labor. One of the men asked one of the nurses, who were there for breathing exercises and gas masks, if the pain would make them scream?  She calmly answered, "yes, it definitely will."  And so began the pain as the nurses cranked the electrodes that were placed on key muscles of their abdomens in order to mimic birth.  The two were writhing in agony within minutes.  Screaming...check, crying...check.  The agony was cut short as the two finished their expe...

Dutch as it stands from a 2005 study is the native language of over 22 million people who reside mostly in the Netherlands and Belgium. (Sijs 348) Dutch as a language in America today is diminishing. (Sijs 107) It looks as if the Dutch language is losing ground it would seem. Apparently one can be proud of one’s Dutch background without being able to speak the Dutch language. A personal anecdote proves this the case. My last name is Dutch and I’m proud of it. Blauvelt means Blue Field in Dutch. I am the 13 th generation living in America since my first ancestor from Holland made the trek to America. I don’t speak Dutch however, I have been trying. I meet a girl whose last name was van Crae (Americanized) and she asked what percentage Dutch I was. I have no idea, probably very small if any. Her father is from Holland, making her 50%. This proves Sijs’ theory. I am proud to be ‘Dutch’ even though I don’t speak it, have never visited, and by now am most likely more a mix of other nat...

(One more part left for tomorrow) No borrowing takes place unless two cultures and their languages come into contact with each other. So who would use loanwords?   Those who come in contact with and acquire new knowledge from a foreign culture use foreign words in an attempt to disseminate their new knowledge (Higa 284).   One reason could be linguistic innovation. When new things or concepts are learned by one culture form another there arises a need to name them in the persons own language. Examples of this can be seen with English words spreading throughout the Earth. Words like Internet, Walkman, TV etc. new technologies that don’t have existing words in other languages so they are borrowed and used straight up with little change in the new language. Hence new words may be created or it may directly borrow from the ready-made foreign word. Visitors and immigrants to foreign countries tend to use borrowed words in their native languages to show their progress of accul...

....Dutch loanwords in American English fall into 13 different areas. Let’s take some of the words mentioned previous and break them down. Coleslaw, which is regarded as a typically American product and is exported to other countries under this American name, was recorded at one time as Cold Slaw which was most likely due to Americans not calling the plant cole; instead calling it cabbage. It was borrowed in the 17 th century from the Dutch koolsla or cabbage salad. Cookie, in Dutch koekje, is a small flat sweet cake. Cookie is one of the most frequently used Dutch loanwords in American English and has been used in many expressions that do not exist in Dutch. Spill your cookies, the way the cookie crumbles, have your cookie and eat it, etc. (Sijs 126) Waffle, or Dutch wafel, is a light flat pastry with a diamond shaped pattern. Derived from weven (to weave) and related to Wabe (honeycomb). Boss, or Dutch baas, meaning master foreman. This loanword has ‘conquered the world’ as it w...

...This may seem a lot to take in and remember but the key to remember is there were other colonists in the ‘New World’ besides the British. In fact there were quite a few European nations in the Americas. Sweden had a colony north of New Netherland, France had the area around modern day Louisiana, Spain was attempting one along the southern coast in Florida, and then there’s the well known British colonies. Being the first Europeans in the area and witnessing plant and animal life they had never seen; the Dutch colonists were the first to name these items and many of these have stuck down to this day. A brief look at the map just north of New York City would prove this. Town names of Orangeburg, Sparkill, Tappan, West Nyack, and Blauvelt prove this point. Orangeburg is a take on the Dutch royal color of Orange, Sparkill translates to Spar=spruce and kill=creek, and Nyack and Blauvelt are Dutch surnames.   Many names were even changed from their original Dutch. An example would b...

A few weeks ago I hinted at a paper I had to write for my Language class about Dutch loanwords. Well I finished it and got a high grade. It's no work of art but I thought I'd post it piece by piece for you. All grammatical errors and whatnot are my fault. Dutch Loanwords - How They Shaped American English            What’s more American than booze, pickles, coleslaw, and a cookie? The answer is actually lots of things because all four of those words are not ‘English’ (in this case British) in origin. They originate across the sea yes, but from another nautical nation; the Netherlands or more readily known as Holland. But those are only a handful of many words that we can attribute to the Dutch. “Certainly no language was ever composed of such numerous and such diverse elements” quote by Walter W. Skeat 1892 (Speaking about the English Language). Questions arise then; Why do we have words in our everyday language that originate from H...

Yes. You read that correctly. And no, I am not buying one. I used to have my dog sleep on my bed when I was little but that was when I was 7. Noortje de Keijzer  (her website) a Dutch designer and illustrator has designed a life-sized, yes life size, knitted pillow in the shape of a man. Or a boyfriend. Whichever you prefer.   Keijzer's " My Knitted Boyfriend " (click this link. It shows the different accessories and the book that accompies your 'man') project consists of two different oversized cushions, "Artur" (white guy with brown hair) and "Steve (darker guy with black hair)." The pillows come with a number of accessories, including knitted moustaches, glasses, watches, bow-ties, and even tattoos. There's also an illustrated book to show you what you can do with your knitted companion.   Keijzer had her mother and grandmother hand-knit the body pillow. (Slave labor?, I'm still wondering why she couldn'...

Here are two fun videos about a Dutch Soccer player scoring on his own team. They are all in Dutch but you get the idea of what they mean. The first is his blunder. He trips on his own feet trying to clear a ball from in front of the net. Mike van der Hoorn plays for Utrecht in the Netherlands. Doh!!! Notice how even the other team pats him on the back. That has got to sting. His team went on to lose 6-0. The next video is a montage that the local sports station put together of other players making the same mistake. I think they're trying to make Mike feel better. Perfect song choice. Also a great opporunity to listen to native Dutch speakers as they interview van der Hoorn and the news anchor. Always look on the bright side of life.

Ahhh, the most perfect place on earth.  Where else can you still have an interesting native culture, go bungee jumping, see a beautiful landscape, and have a national rugby team.  Yes, New Zealand is now very English; its ruler is officially Queen Elizabeth II herself.  But what about that name?  Wouldn't an English colony have the name New Essex or New Reading or even New Caledonia, hint hint.  We should have noticed in the first glance that this name is Dutch.  So, what is New Zealand's Dutch heritage? The first Europeans to "discover" New Zealand's islands were the Dutch, led by the explorer Abel Tasman in 1642.  He also discovered the island of Tasmania, look at his last name.  However this first encounter with Europeans was not peaceful.  Several of the Dutch crewmen died in this hustle with the indigenous people the Maori; aka the rugby and football stars of the world, you don't want to mess with them.  One beneficial outcome of ...

I have looked at Dutch long enough!  I am going to teach myself and you my dear readers how to pronounce it as well.  At least we should be able to read it right?  Een enkele taal is nooit genoeg (one language is not enough)  And some noticeable differences in letter pronunciation are G, J, R, ch, and of course the vowels.  -I have copied this box out of smartphrase.com- Vowels   a • short like a in h a rd, but even shorter, or • long like a in c a t, but even longer e • short like e in s e t, but even shorter, or • long like a in l a ne i • short like i in b i t, but even shorter o • short like o in h o t, but even shorter, or • long like oa in b oa t u • like u in h u rt, but even shorter, or • long like oo in b oo t, said with pursed lips eu • long like u in h u rt, but with tightly rounded lips oe • long like oo in b oo k, but with rounded lips ie • long like ea in ch ea t ...

My roommate sent me this video.  Here's some more information from the creator of this video  about the protests and what other nations are trying to do.  The video was made to spark similar ideas in other countries. What if most of the world started riding bikes more than driving.... interesting thought.  

I had a case of 'Hey, I know that guy" the other day. I found another actor who is Dutch, who knew. Rutger Hauer Born in Breukelen, Netherlands 1944. (Yes that is where Brooklyn in New York got it's name from, I think I should post about that more some other time). I posted the picture of him that made me say "oh that guy". Anyone guess what movie the above picture is from? Anyone? Batman Begins, He played Mr Earle. The 'corrupt' businessman CEO leading Wayne Enterprises while Bruce was gone/dead. He gets what's coming to him in the end; "Didn't you get the memo?" Great stuff. Rutger is also known for playing a villain in Blade Runner. Recently he hasn't played many high profile roles besides the occasional guest start on TV shows. More info on his early life thanks to Wikipedia . His films IMDB . The man even has his own website ! Neat did you know facts about Rutger. His first and last name both end with er! -Got his st...

Dutch the official language of Suriname In a fierce foreign language debate we argued which language is the most endangered.  The center of the conversation was German.  I raised my voice, "If there is any language that is in danger of becoming extinct it would be Dutch," I said.  "Most Dutch people speak English, and the Netherlands is so small."  "German is spoken in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and in communities in the United States and around the world."  The conversation concluded and we all went back to our tasks at hand, but a lingering thought still circled around in my head.  Did I misspeak?  Are Dutch people themselves worried about the legacy of their language?  And where exactly is Dutch spoken? Dutch people do speak English a lot and very well.  According to the 2005 Eurostat statistics the Netherlands has the highest percent of English speakers in Europe in the 80% zone; with Belgium, Germany and France taking the next pl...

Sorry for dropping off the face of the earth these last few weeks. Class has started for both of us and it's hard to find time. Excuses Excuses. This may be a bit dry. I won't be able to put a picture up of every Olympian for the Dutch, but here is a summary of their Olympics. I'll rehash some wins I've already talked about and try to focus on the new ones. The Netherlands finished the Olympics in 13th place overall with 20 medals total. 6 Gold, 6 Silver, and 8 Bronze. A higher count than Beijing but one less Gold. Still, a good haul for the Dutch, finishing ahead of larger countries like Spain and Brazil. Medals Women's Cycling BMX - Bronze; Laura Smulders Women's Road Race - Gold; Marianne Vos Men's Cycling Track Keirin - Bronze; Teun Mulder                Keirin is a form of sprint cycling where the start is speed controlled. Read this .  Equestrian;       Women's Individual Dressage - Silver; Adelind...

I decided to wait a few days for the medals to pile up before posting an update. (If this was a blog about USA or China I wouldn't be able to keep up!) The Netherlands won 5 more medals since last I posted. 2 Golds in Swimming and 3 Bronze in other sports. Pushing their total to 8 ranking them 11th overall. Women's 8 Rowing - Bronze. Gold went to USA with Silver to Canada. I found a picture of the Dutch women's rowing team after they won. Looks like they are having fun regardless of getting 3rd. No offense to the lady in the middle but you can almost hear her snort from here. Men's 100kg Judo - Bronze (Henk Grol). Gold went to Russia, Silver to Mongolia and Netherlands tied for Bronze with Germany. Henk Grol. Sounds almost like a name from some Dan Brown novel (pictured below, chiseled). Dutch men aren't ready to be out matched in the tough guy department by the women just yet. Women's 50m and 100m Freestyle (swimming). 50m Freestyle (2 Dutchwomen Medal...

The Olympics began with a bang (or was it Bond) last Friday night. The Dutch entered the stadium wearing their traditional Orange. Gota love those pants. Their uniforms actually won best dressed on this yahoo blog . It also seems the Dutch Women's Field Hockey team has gained worldwide attention before even taking the field to defend their Beijing Gold. Both for their play on the field and their uniforms. An article about it here  Yahoo . And a photo gallery here . Wow. The medals began coming in on Sunday for the Dutch when the Women's 4x100 Free Style Swimming Relay team secured a silver medal. Falling just behind Australia and beating team USA for second place. Followed soon after by Marianne Vos finally winning her elusive Olympic Gold Medal in Olympic Road Race Cycling. Here's a picture of her crossing the finish line (that is one excited and exhausted looking person) and one of her accepting her medal.  As of Tuesday, the Dutch are in 16 place for to...

             So I have bought my Raleigh bike but that doesn't mean that I should stop talking about them, ha!  Instead of talking about a Dutch bike brand let's talk about a Dutch cyclist shall we?  Here enters famous cyclist Joop Zoetemelk.  He is a bicycle racing legend.             He has finsished the Tour de France 16 times, which is a record, and he also won the race in 1980.  Not to mention the Olympics and 67 other professional races that he has either won or raced in the top 10 in.  Joop started off as a regional champion speed skater before turning to cycling.  This guy , who has actually become better looking as he ages (if that tells you anything), is an athlete and a robust one at that.  In the 1980 Tour de France which he won, it was claimed that he only won because a competitor Bernard Hinault had drop...

Speaking of bicycles I have been doing some research on bicycles lately. I am a fan of Raleigh bikes but while researching I came across a Dutch brand for road bikes, who would have ever thought (sarcasim). The Netherlands has a strong bicycle racing heritage and one such Dutch brand is Koga-Miyata. Now you might say "wow that name sounds Japanese", and you might be right. In fact you are right. The founders of the brand were originally a joint venture between Miyata a forward thinking Japanese brand and a Dutchman, who just so happens to be the knowledgeable son of the founder of another important Dutch bicycle brand Batavus . Koga-Miyata's are known as a well made bicycle brand, and the design and assembly are all done in Holland. What gave K-M it's good name was the 1980's Tour de France. The company sponsored the Ijsboerke cycle team using the Koga-Miyata FullPro-L bike. Since 2010 the koga-miyata brand no longer exists, instead they have changed into...

This morning I was researching a new article I want to post soon and stumbled across another (dare I say better) Dutch blog. http://stuffdutchpeoplelike.com/ Read their about page, very witty. It's written by someone not native to Holland but who lived there for 7 years (Slightly Jealous) and geared towards a more humorus view. I have never visited. I only read articles and watch documentaries on the country. Makes this little blog we do sound weak and uninformed.... http://blogs.transparent.com/dutch/ This is the one I've been reading. More geared toward learning the language but also very imformative. I've linked you to these because (obviously) I'm not allowed to straight copy from their blogs (even if I wanted to) without contacting them for permission and even then, I can only use 10% of what they wrote. Moral of the story. We'll keep plugging away here on All Things Holland but if you want honest to goodness firsthand knowledge check out these other ...

The London Olympic Games begin in less than 43 days. I thought it would be appropriate to break down which sports the Netherlands will be competing it. Here's the breakdown. -Archery -Track and Field;         Discus, heptathlon, marathon, shot put, decathlon, hurdles, various sprints -Badminton (I didn't know that's how it's spelled!)     Interestingly their athlete in this is Jie Yao who now resides in Holland. The competetion level in China is so great, she moved to the Netherlands to have a better chance of making the olympics. -Cycling    BMX, road, track, mountain biking -Equestrian    Dressage, eventing, jumping -Fencing -Field Hockey -Gymnastics     Trampoline, artistic -Judo -Rowing -Sailing -Shooting -Swimming -Table Tennis (similar story to Badminton) -Taekwondo -Triathlon Some of those sports never get televised. It'd be interesting to see. Especailly table tennis or...