Why do Dutch and Scandinavians speak English so well?
"...and it might even preserve the opposite from finding himself in a situation of embarrassment, trying to find the right words in dutch, they try to cut it short and enjoy the fact that they can exercise their own language skills at the same time..."
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Sorry but it's just stupid! when you learn english , you need people respond with you in english, so you can find yourself in " a situation of embarrassment, trying to find the right words" in english etc... and then nobody will switch in your mother tongue to help you!!
This is how you learn to speak in a foreign language, but when Dutch people do that they don't help me to improve my dutch. It likes they think "don't try, you suck!"
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"So if you come across somebody who answers to you in english -think twice! Or adress the fact that you try to improve your dutch."
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No, they still insist to speak english. At least in France, people talk to me in french, ditto for Spain.
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" the dutch, being adressed, try to respond to noticing a foreigner with a mere act of polliteness, that is, trying to speak, what is considered a world language (i.e. english)"
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No, they just want to show they speak better english than all the europeans , they're just showing off.
I have heard great English from Dutch people, but some Dutch people are not so great in English. I think it's just easier for communication to use English in a travel situation.
If you make the effort to learn Dutch or German, try not do be discouraged when you get English in return. It's embarassing, but maybe you could point out how great their English is, then ask them to teach you a new phrase in Dutch.
Turn the situation to your advantage.
“It likes they think "don't try, you suck!"”
Maybe you suck. If you could speak Dutch well, they would respond in Dutch.
One way to ovvercome this problem is to speak english with such a horrific accent that they'll switch back to dutch.
The Dutch are so obsessed with showing off their self-professed good English, that they reply in it to people who've learned Dutch and don't even speak English. I knew a Russian guy and someone from Moldova who lived in Holland, learnt Dutch but always got replies in English (which they don't speak).
The Dutch moan endlessly how foreigners move to their country and don't bother learning Dutch. Well, they try, but the Dutch are too damn busy proving their superior knowledge of English to even notice.
Sara,
I agree with you. I can't stand the Dutch arrogance regarding languages, especially when they only really speak Dutch and English, and even then their English often sucks.
I have no problem with the Dutch learning English to a high standard and speaking it when required. But when they are addressed in Dutch in their own country and respond in English....I find that incredibly arrogant. The meassage that comes across is that your pathetic snivelling attempts at Dutch will never come close to matching their supreme command of English.
The Dutch have created an image of being linguistic gurus but - let's face it - with the amount of exposure they have to the English language from an early age, it would actually be pretty difficult not to pick it up.
By contrast, I find the Germans very accomodating when spoken to in German and more than happy to converse with you in their language.
Hello, this is my first post here! I am Dutch and since a few years now I have been interested in every Germanic language (primarely my own language Dutch and Scandinavian since English and German are already so popular). I think the Dutch speak very well English because its a very important language on school. English together with German are the 2 languages that are always teached (this sometimes also includes French but its not nearly as important in schools as English and German). Also the fact that movies and TV-shows are not dubbed (with the exception of children-shows) contributes to that. I've also been to Denmark earlier this year and I could communicate very well with everyone in English.
Aside from this subject, one thing that interested me right away in Denmark was that some words are quite alike in Dutch and Danish, even with the German counterpart thrown in sometimes. When I did some research on the internet I read that Danish uses more loanwords from Low German then the other North Germanic languages. Is this true? If so, then that could explain it.
Not to put Mork down, but if you read his English you will find that just about every sentence is riddled with grammar errors and the the ones which are free of grammar errors read like a 4 year old would speak.
Judging from Mork's English I would get the impression that the Dutch do not really speak English very well at all.
His English is not terrible. It needs some tweaking, but it's quite understandable.
"since a few years" Steve Kaufmann mentioned this kind of error recently. I would use "for a few years now" instead.
"speak very well English">"speak English very well"
"2 languages that are always teached" Mork needs "taught" here.
"children-shows" I have never seen it this way. Is it British usage?
I would say "shows for children" or some other way.
There are different ways of thinking about errors in English or other languages. I want people to correct me-even in English! Other people have the idea that people will just figure out their errors after awhile.
The problem is this: If you talk primarily with other ESL speakers, you may continue to make ESL mistakes even if you are fluent!
It's not surprising that Germanic languages are so similar, but perhaps Alexander Arguelles is the one to ask about Low Saxon. Travis? Arguelles is over at youtube and has a website with the words "foreign language expertise", I think. He wants to be a language coach.
I have this same problem in Germany. The fact that I have an English first and Irish last name doesn't help. I often get calls from people I don't even know who will simply start speaking English thinking that I don't know German based on my name alone. Even though I have been speaking it fluently for over 20 years some people still feel a need to resort to English as if they are doing me a "favour". My German is by far better than that of most Germans. After dealing with them for many years I have come to the conclusion that most of them do not realize that their actions could be perceived as being insulting. One major difference between Anglo-Saxon and continental European culture is that we Anglo-Saxon types are far more interested in the motives behind the acts of others rather than the acts themselves. Germans and I assume the Dutch as well, do not see things this way. They are extremely superficial in how they interact with each other. Where we tend to speak in "code" to get our points across politely, they are far more direct. It simply does not occur to Germans (and Dutch?) that the motives behind their actions are being judged more than their actions. On some occasions I have pointed out to Germans why it is often considered rude to answer in English and the answers I have got were along the lines how "How can that be perceived in any way as rude? It's a nice thing to speak English to an English speaker!" They simply don't understand that what they are doing can easily be perceived as patronising.
<<Hello, this is my first post here! I am Dutch and since a few years AGO I have been interested in every Germanic language (PRIMARILY my own language Dutch and Scandinavian since English and German are already so popular). I think the Dutch speak ENGLISH VERY WELL because IT'S a very important language IN school. English together with German are the 2 languages that are always TAUGHT (this sometimes also includes French but IT'S not nearly as important in schools as English and German). Also the fact that movies and TV shows are not dubbed (with the exception of CHILDREN'S shows) contributes to that. I ALSO WENT to Denmark earlier this year and I could communicate very well with everyone in English.
Aside from this subject, one thing that interested me right away in Denmark was that some words are quite alike in Dutch and Danish, even with the German counterpart thrown in sometimes. When I did some research on the internet I read that Danish uses more loanwords from Low German THAN the other North Germanic languages. Is this true? If so, then that could explain it. >>
So much for the Dutch speaking great English. Not that it's that bad, but it's not good enough to justify any boasting or arrogance at all.
How do you know how I SPEAK English? Yes, my posts are not without mistakes, but you clearly understand it enough to criticize me so its obviously not thát bad. I was hoping for a more proper response actually. I know this is a language-forum so I don't mind my posts being corrected (it also teaches me to prevent those mistakes in the future), but at least post some kind of response or something. I also don't regulary type in English so I am aware my English is a bit rusty here and there.
Just for the record though; I never claimed I was a expert in English. I don't know why everyone here apparently thinks that Dutch people are so arrogantly claiming to be the best in English, but this is the first time I read people being so irritated about Dutch people and English (even though its kinda ironic seeing how many people corrected me already). But please don't waste those type of childish judgements on me.
Thank you.
I have no problem with the Dutch learning English to a high standard and speaking it when required. But when they are addressed in Dutch in their own country and respond in English....I find that incredibly arrogant. The meassage that comes across is that your pathetic snivelling attempts at Dutch will never come close to matching their supreme command of English.
The Dutch have created an image of being linguistic gurus but - let's face it - with the amount of exposure they have to the English language from an early age, it would actually be pretty difficult not to pick it up.
By contrast, I find the Germans very accomodating when spoken to in German and more than happy to converse with you in their language.
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I know what you mean, but let me start off by saying that the Netherlands is not the only country where this occurs (but I think thats pretty obvious). I think the reason why we (the Dutch) rather speak English to none-Dutch people is because of the fact that orally Dutch can be very hard for people who didn't grow up learning it. As a sidenote, it also doesn't help that many people who try to speak in Dutch to native Dutch people easily mix it up with German, and seeing how Dutch people kinda have a love/hate relationship with German they will logically try to avoid it altogether.
(I hope I avoided spellingerrors this time!)