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Category Archives: Cultural

Zero Dark Thirty

There are all kinds of ways of expressing times and writing them down, but the commonest formats in English aren’t the same as the usual Dutch ones.

Posted byMike WilkinsonJuly 14, 2020Posted inCultural, StyleTags:dunglish, engels, tijdstip, uurLeave a comment on Zero Dark Thirty

Alphas and betas

An “alpha” or “beta” person in Dutch refers to how scientifically-minded they are. In English, it is at best reminiscent of Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World”.

Posted byMike WilkinsonJuly 13, 2020Posted inCulturalTags:alfa, bèta, dunglish, engels3 Comments on Alphas and betas

A twelve-and-a-halfth anniversary

It’s not a number of years that gets celebrated in the English-speaking world. Rephrasing or explanation is needed if you don’t want readers scratching their heads.

Posted byMike WilkinsonJune 30, 2020June 30, 2020Posted inAdvanced, CulturalTags:dunglish, engels, jubileum4 Comments on A twelve-and-a-halfth anniversary

High wines and high breakfasts

What? No way. There’s “high tea”, a specific and very English concept. But you can’t misappropriate “high” for anything else.

Posted byMike WilkinsonJune 11, 2020June 11, 2020Posted inAdvanced, Cultural, Fake EnglishTags:dunglish, engels, high tea1 Comment on High wines and high breakfasts

GB, England and the UK

The term “Great Britain” has nothing to do with delusions of grandeur. It’s just the biggest island in the group, same as Gran Canaria or Grand Cayman.

Posted byMike WilkinsonJune 7, 2020June 8, 2020Posted inCultural, ElementaryTags:dunglish, Engeland, engels, GB, Groot-Britannië, Verenigd Koninkrijk, VKLeave a comment on GB, England and the UK

The minefield of academic titles

People are naturally very proud of their academic achievements and titles and want them stated in their communications. But it’s not as trivial as it might seem.

Posted byMike WilkinsonJune 3, 2020June 3, 2020Posted inAddressing, Advanced, Cultural, Style, US-UK issuesTags:drs, dunglish, engels, ing., Ir., meester, mr., mw. mr., prof. dr.2 Comments on The minefield of academic titles

Surname prefixes

Dutch surnames often have prefixes (van, van der, de, ter, etc.) and are alphabetized by the remainder, which stops half the phone book being listed under V.

Posted byMike WilkinsonMay 28, 2020May 28, 2020Posted inAddressing, Advanced, Cultural, StyleTags:achternamen, Beethoven, dunglish, engels, tussenvoegsel, van Nistelrooij2 Comments on Surname prefixes

What’s in a name?

Some historical, biblical and fictional figures etc. are referred to by anglicized names. Not surprising: the same happens in Dutch – Lodewijk XIV, Karel de Grote, Winnie de Poeh, Zweinstein…

Posted byMike WilkinsonMay 11, 2020May 21, 2020Posted inCulturalTags:Aristoteles, Cruijff, dunglish, engels, Knorretje, Lodewijk XIV, Maria, Mercurius, Mondriaan, Neptunus, Nijntje, Pontius Pilatus, Saturnus, van Nistelrooij, ZweinsteinLeave a comment on What’s in a name?

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