Dutch English

							    Dutch English


                How to avoid Dunglish




Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Bracket (ab)use

   Dutch uses ( ) to compact alternatives
     m.u.v (brom)fietsen

     No (motor)cycles

     No cycles or motorcycles



       Religion determines which food is (not) eaten.
       Religion determines which food is eaten and which is
        not.



Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Bracket (ab)use

      The use of (hired) tractors has risen.
      The use of all tractors, including hired ones, has risen.

      A long drought can eliminate (the seedbank of) annual
       grasses.
      A long drought can eliminate annual grasses and their
       seed bank




Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Bracket (ab)use

   English uses brackets around information of
    secondary importance that…
       Explains
           Several Austrian brewers moved to Italy, including Franz
            Wührer (who moved from Salzburg to Brescia in 1829) and
            Anton Dreher (Vienna to Trieste, 1870).
       Clarifies
           The US government has a $17.4 billion emergency-loan
            package ($13.4 billion for General Motors, $4 billion for
            Chrysler).
       Comments
           Mr Obama has given Mr Henderson 60 days (and sufficient
            working capital) to drive through these changes.

Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
False friends

   The insurance will pay for eventual damage.
   The insurance will pay for any damage.

   He said he would solve the problem, eventually
    with an expert’s help.
   He said he would solve the problem, if
    necessary with an expert’s help. (or perhaps
    with…)


Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
False friends

   The institute is actually running a project.
   The institute is currently running a project. (or
    leave it out)

   We need a consequent environmental policy.
   We need a consistent environmental policy.




Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
False friends

   Many immigrants have arrived in the last decades.
   Many immigrants have arrived in recent decades.
   Many immigrants have arrived in the last 30 years.

   He has been here for half a year.
   He has been here for six months.




Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
False friends

   Eventueel      = Possible, any
   Uiteindelijk   = Eventual
   Slip           = Pants (UK), underpants (US)
   Onderrok       = Petticoat, slip




Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Do you really mean…?

   Concept     = Draft (eg report)
   Agenda      = Diary
   Map         = Folder




Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Mispeling

   Adress           Address
   Agresive         Aggressive
   Anorganic        Inorganic
   Anonymus         Anonymous
   Desinfect        Disinfect
   Dito             Ditto
   Ministery        Ministry
   Quotum           Quota
   Transparant      Transparent
   Visum            Visa
Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Mispeling

   It took longer then expected.
   It took longer than expected.

   The governor gave her commends.
   The governor made some comments.

   Local people belief it, but scientists have no prove.
   Local people believe it, but scientists have no proof.

Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Commas and points

   She speaks Dutch, English, and French.
   She speaks Dutch, English and French.


   A fee of €300,-   A fee of €300
   $125,00           $125.50
   1. April 2009     1 April 2009 (UK)
                      April 1, 2009 (US)

Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
About ± and plural’s

   There were ± 50 patients in the clinic.
   There were about 50 patients in the clinic.
     Or ca. 50, or approximately 50




   Taxi’s      Taxis

   Baby’s      Babies

   Visa        Visas

   Fora        Forums

Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
66 and 99

   „Yes we can!”     Dutch
   «Yes we can!»     French
   “Yes we can!”     English (mainly US)
   ‘Yes we can!’     English (UK)

   He said, “Obama’s slogan is ‘Yes we can!’”
   He said, ‘Obama’s slogan is “Yes we can!”’

Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Abbrev.

   c.q.            or
   e.a.            and others, et al.
   f.e.            for example, e.g.
   f.i.            for instance
   i.c.            in the case of
   a.o., o.a.      among others,
                     among other things

Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Prepositions




   Welcome in Amsterdam.
   Welcome to Amsterdam.

   The research aimed to get more insight in the issue.
   The research aimed to gain insight into the issue.

   The discussion over the problem was inconclusive.
   The discussion about the problem was inconclusive.

Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Tenses

   Since 3000 years people live here.
   People have lived here for 3000 years.
   People have lived here since 3000 years ago.


   1 m people are being employed in fishing.
   1 m people are employed in fishing.

   The approach is developed by KIT.
   The approach is being developed by KIT.
   The approach was developed by KIT.
Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Alltogether

   Anymore         Any more
   Never theless   Nevertheless
   Worldbank       World Bank




Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Frontal overload

   Especially in the social sciences, a clear bias can be
    observed in the development of models.
   A clear bias can be observed in the development of
    models, especially in the social sciences.

   Especially its simplicity appealed to her.
   It was its simplicity that especially appealed to her.
   What especially appealed to her was its simplicity.




Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Choppiness

Models are deliberate approximations of the real world.
Models can be seen as a concise and useful representation
of scientific knowledge.

Models are deliberate approximations of the real world.
They can be seen as a concise and useful representation
of scientific knowledge.

Models are deliberate approximations of the real world that
can be seen as a concise and useful representation of
scientific knowledge.
Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Choppiness

Tropical rain forests are          Tropical rainforests are among
among the most species-rich        the most species-rich
ecosystems of the world. They      ecosystems in the world.
are a habitat for people and       These unique ecosystems
wildlife as well as a vital        provide habitats for people and
source of livelihood for           wildlife and are a vital source
indigenous people.                 of livelihood for indigenous
The future existence of this       people. But socio-economic
unique ecosystem is under          development is threatening
severe pressure by socio-          their survival. If these forests
economic developments.             do disappear, the loss of
The disappearance of tropical      biological diversity and natural
forests leads to irreversible      resources will be irreversible.
loss of biological diversity and
natural resources.

Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
More choppiness

Rescue dogs are often               Rescue dogs are often
specially trained. They work in     specially trained to work in
areas where a bomb or               areas where a bomb or
earthquake has buried people        earthquake has buried people
in debris. Their job is to locate   in debris. Their job is to locate
where persons are buried.           where persons are buried, so
Rescuers can then dig the           rescuers can then dig them
people out. The dogs must           out. Since these dogs must
guide the rescuers to the spot      guide the rescuers to the spot,
and be willing to sit and bark      they must be willing to sit and
until help comes.                   bark until help comes.



Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Text layout
     Dutch                  English
                                      1st para-
                Tekstblok             graph after
                                      heading not
                                      indented

                  Gap
                                      Other
                 Alinea               paragraphs
                                      indented




                Tekstblok


Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Source

   Burrough-Boenisch, Joy. 2004. Righting
    English that’s gone Dutch. Kemper Conseil
    Publishing, Voorburg.
    www.kemperconseil.com




Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com