I took this picture at my children's school. At the toilet door you see, translated word by word from Dutch into English: "Forget the door not close to do". It doesn't make much sense, does it ? The idea is of course: "Do not forget to close the door".The word order is Dutch can be puzzling for beginners in the language. I would formulate the sentence: "Vergeet het niet de deur dicht te doen". I would even consider the sentence on the door grammatically wrong. But after so many years and exposition to the language I then accept the crazy Dutch logic (clogic). Forget the door not close to do. Forget the door not close to do. Oh, forget it !!
On the second and third pictures of this post you see a fridge. It is called in Dutch a "cool box/cabinet" (koel-kast). "Koe" means also "cow". Because this fridge is at school and the main purpose is the storage of milk for the children, somebody has made a joke about it: a cowcabinet.
At the moment I am following an intensive Dutch for foreigners course at the UvA. It is for students from the UvA who need tho follow a course at the university and therefore be proficient in the language. I think it is the best course for foreigners in the NL. I will get my NT2 - II right after the course, so that I can place it in my curriculum vitae. We have more than 20h of homework per week, must write lots of written compositions and I must watch more to the news on TV. I can read anything I want it Dutch - because reading is a passive skill. But will I be able to write anything perfectly according to the crazy Dutch order (the logic of the cloggies) ?Well, this post is just to inform the readers that I will be blogging up to February to a minimum. Maybe a pair of photos from Sinter Klaas and then Christimas. I am also making a lot of research about the job market and applying for jobs. And the day only has 24 for everyone. No exceptions.
Wish me luck !
7 comments:
amiga....saudades!!!!!! bjos
I took that class at the UvA in 1991! It sounds a lot harder now.
That's great.... All the best with your Dutch and Job search :)
Hoi Steph. When I did level half gevorderden at Uva in 2001 it took months, I had lessons just twice a week and maybe 10h homework. This level IV now is an intensive of (less than) 7 weeks, everyday, and 20h "huiswerk". I think there is also the option of doing it the usual length.
Someone told me that the Dutch language is pretty much like the people themselves. They are direct and straightforward. They are not very particular with grammar. If, and when you have the time, try watching Tien oor Taal sometime. The Belgian Dutch speakers always go home with the trophy. lol
Very nice post! :D
The first time I started to learn Dutch the sentence structure made no sense to me. I remember getting quite annoyed by not being able to figure it out and threw my homework book across my living room while making comments about how they talk like Yoda from Star Wars.
I have since calmed down from then.
Droomvla: about the Belgians: hubby says they speak more genuine Dutch words than the Hollanders who seem to prefer lots of English words.
Stu: persevere ! Doorgaan !
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