Dutchisms

Dutch is a glorious language. Fairly difficult to learn for non-native speakers in a lot of ways, but filled with simplicity in others. Every week I'll introduce something from the Dutch language that warms my heart.

This week, a saying or idiom. There are many sayings that translate well into different languages, or are just the same (eq. The apple does not fall far from the tree). However, there are quite a few that are uniquely Dutch. 

One of these is: "Nou breekt toch m'n klomp". It is used when something just baffles you so much it leaves you speechless. Translated into English it is something along the lines of 'Now that just broke my wooden shoe in two'. And admittedly if I was wearing wooden shoes (which FYI barely anyone does in the Netherlands anymore, usually only old farmers) and it were to break, that would leave me fairly stumped. Wooden shoes are sturdy, they don't just break!

Another one that finds its origin in something quintessentially Dutch is: "jezelf in de nesten werken". It means 'to get yourself into trouble' and it originates from one of the Dutch symbols: the windmill.

A "nest" is a pit that forms in the wood of the turning mechanisms of a windmill if the mill has been kept in the same position for too long. When this happens you can no longer turn the mill to face the wind and you are in proper trouble!

Next time: our love for vowels which leads to words as zeëegel. Which you musn't confuse with zegel.