Ask a Dutch guy

[iwant2beelieve]

uriiaa

...people in the U.S. don't even know the difference between "USA" and "America". >.> (I use 'America' because I include Canada.) Nor do most of them know where the Netherlands is. (Last I asked a friend of mine Paris was inside of London, and Poland was part of Germany...so, yeah. :'s Clearly, our educational system isn't the best. )
So, question two, I've been learning Dutch from a source that's from, like, 60-ish years ago. Would that pose a problem if I were talking to someone? (Like, do words change meaning every decade or so? I know they do in English...)

[uriiaa]

Cookie_Paradise

uriiaa

...people in the U.S. don't even know the difference between "USA" and "America". >.> (I use 'America' because I include Canada.) Nor do most of them know where the Netherlands is. (Last I asked a friend of mine Paris was inside of London, and Poland was part of Germany...so, yeah. :'s Clearly, our educational system isn't the best. )
So, question two, I've been learning Dutch from a source that's from, like, 60-ish years ago. Would that pose a problem if I were talking to someone? (Like, do words change meaning every decade or so? I know they do in English...)

well poland WAS part of germany somewhere in 1940-1945

And yea the dutch language is ever evolving :p

I could help you out with traslations ect if you'd like

[coffeeS2er]

What are some of the stereotypes about the Dutch that you've noticed? The only thing I've heard of is that they're really kind. razz

[uriiaa]

coffeeS2er

What are some of the stereotypes about the Dutch that you've noticed? The only thing I've heard of is that they're really kind. razz

according to the world:

our breakfast is heineken and cheese
we all smoke weed
the two only things you can find here are tulip fields and amsterdam
we all walk on clogs
there are windmills at every corner of the street


Thats about it razz

[wagnas]

uriiaa

Cookie_Paradise

(I ask all Dutch people this because it's fun to compare answers. c: )
Does it bother you that a lot of people (at least here in America ;-; ) call it "Holland" and not "the Netherlands"?
It bothers me...

well not really..
I am sure some Dutch people think that America and the USA are the same. razz

No Dutch minds the confusion of Holland and Netherlands. Mostly Dutch use Netherlands and Nederland within Europe, outside Europe is referred to the country as Holland. Not so because we like it, but that is what foreigners understand better.

[/Dutch as well] heart

[uriiaa]

wagnas

uriiaa

Cookie_Paradise

(I ask all Dutch people this because it's fun to compare answers. c: )
Does it bother you that a lot of people (at least here in America ;-; ) call it "Holland" and not "the Netherlands"?
It bothers me...

well not really..
I am sure some Dutch people think that America and the USA are the same. razz

No Dutch minds the confusion of Holland and Netherlands. Mostly Dutch use Netherlands and Nederland within Europe, outside Europe is referred to the country as Holland. Not so because we like it, but that is what foreigners understand better.

[/Dutch as well] heart

gegroet biggrin

[iwant2beelieve]

uriiaa

well poland WAS part of germany somewhere in 1940-1945

And yea the dutch language is ever evolving :p

I could help you out with traslations ect if you'd like

[Yeah, well...they need to get their heads back into the present...I had a group of about 5 people arguing about the fact that Czechoslovakia was still one place. Then someone asked about Yugoslavia...]

Aw man...kay, I guess I'll look for something else to learn from to make sure all my knowledge isn't obsolete. >.>
If I ever have any questions, I'll be sure to ask. c:
Dank u wel. c:

[uriiaa]

Cookie_Paradise

uriiaa

well poland WAS part of germany somewhere in 1940-1945

And yea the dutch language is ever evolving :p

I could help you out with traslations ect if you'd like

[Yeah, well...they need to get their heads back into the present...I had a group of about 5 people arguing about the fact that Czechoslovakia was still one place. Then someone asked about Yugoslavia...]

Aw man...kay, I guess I'll look for something else to learn from to make sure all my knowledge isn't obsolete. >.>
If I ever have any questions, I'll be sure to ask. c:
Dank u wel. c:

Geen dank :3

[coffeeS2er]

uriiaa

Thank you for the answer. smile

I have another question. Since Europe (minus Russia) is smaller than the US, is it common to know people from other countries? Like for me, I commonly meet people who have moved from different states, but those who came from other countries were almost always just here for school/studying abroad and would otherwise go back to their home country.

[uriiaa]

coffeeS2er

uriiaa

Thank you for the answer. smile

I have another question. Since Europe (minus Russia) is smaller than the US, is it common to know people from other countries? Like for me, I commonly meet people who have moved from different states, but those who came from other countries were almost always just here for school/studying abroad and would otherwise go back to their home country.

well I guess the newer generations of dutch people do have many friends in other countries thanks to the rise computers smile

I have around 20 people I tal kwith in the USA alone smile

[coffeeS2er]

uriiaa

coffeeS2er

uriiaa

Thank you for the answer. smile

I have another question. Since Europe (minus Russia) is smaller than the US, is it common to know people from other countries? Like for me, I commonly meet people who have moved from different states, but those who came from other countries were almost always just here for school/studying abroad and would otherwise go back to their home country.

well I guess the newer generations of dutch people do have many friends in other countries thanks to the rise computers smile

I have around 20 people I tal kwith in the USA alone smile

Oh, so you mean you've met them in person and kept in touch with them? If not, that's what I meant. Like real life, face-to-face.

If you really met 20 Americans IRL, then that's amazing! I've met 0 people from the Netherlands. emo

[uriiaa]

coffeeS2er

uriiaa

coffeeS2er

uriiaa

Thank you for the answer. smile

I have another question. Since Europe (minus Russia) is smaller than the US, is it common to know people from other countries? Like for me, I commonly meet people who have moved from different states, but those who came from other countries were almost always just here for school/studying abroad and would otherwise go back to their home country.

well I guess the newer generations of dutch people do have many friends in other countries thanks to the rise computers smile

I have around 20 people I tal kwith in the USA alone smile

Oh, so you mean you've met them in person and kept in touch with them? If not, that's what I meant. Like real life, face-to-face.

If you really met 20 Americans IRL, then that's amazing! I've met 0 people from the Netherlands. emo

ahh noo xD

But i did meet around 35 french
all friends of mine
but no americans face to face :3

[coffeeS2er]

uriiaa

ahh noo xD

But i did meet around 35 french
all friends of mine
but no americans face to face :3

Wow! Do you speak French as well? I can only speak English, and I'm not even good at it. sweatdrop

Sorry for all the questions. I have more too! But I should go back to my homework. cry I will ask later. smile

[uriiaa]

coffeeS2er

uriiaa

ahh noo xD

But i did meet around 35 french
all friends of mine
but no americans face to face :3

Wow! Do you speak French as well? I can only speak English, and I'm not even good at it. sweatdrop

Sorry for all the questions. I have more too! But I should go back to my homework. cry I will ask later. smile

I speak a bit of french yea biggrin
you should come over I could tutor you in Dutch razz
and no worries about the amount of questions

[Elvan Shigure]

Well I'm an American bopping around here in Europe for my study abroad... anything I should specifically visit in the Netherlands?