http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6221667.stm

Double Dutch in language twister

An ongoing battle over language in The Netherlands is being fuelled by the country’s New Year’s word lists.

The Little Green Book, or Het Groene Boekje, the official Dutch spelling guide, was published this year.

But it is being boycotted by public broadcasters, who say it is too silly for words.

Instead, the Dutch media has published its own Little White Book with a list of new words that they want to add to the Dutch language, unofficially.

The Het Witte Boekje will soon embrace the new words of 2007.

It is mostly the big newspapers who come up with new words, like - “blowverbodbord” - a notice stating that it is illegal to consume soft drugs in the immediate area.

The street sign shows a large lit joint in a red warning circle.

It is put up by Amsterdam city council in places where it is officially forbidden to smoke cannabis in public.

Collectors around the world buy “blowverbodborden” for $100 (

I must admit that the new official spelling rules in the “groene boekje” are a bit absurd.

Language evolves, is dynamic, but the new spelling has nothing to do with the real dynamic evolution of the Dutch language. It is an absurd construct that has not a single foot in the reality of everyday language use.

Isn’t dutch like german?

FireFly - 02 January 2007 01:35 AM

Isn’t dutch like german?

In the Netherlands, asking this question would be followed by a mob stoning in the streets….

But to answer it: they are in the same language family, but different. Dutch has sounds German doesn’t have, words differ (although some are mutually recognizable), and German grammar rules are quite different from Dutch.

So what is the official spelling of “klootsak”?

David B. - 02 January 2007 02:51 PM

So what is the official spelling of “klootsak”?

Klootzak

And its a very, very bad word….equivalent of the Anglo-saxon “a**hole”. It refers to, uh, something that dangles between a male’s legs and contains two nuts…

FireFly - 02 January 2007 01:35 AM

Isn’t dutch like german?

I tried to learn Dutch some years ago, and I wouldn’t say that it’s anything like German.

LaMa - 02 January 2007 03:09 PM

David B. - 02 January 2007 02:51 PM

So what is the official spelling of “klootsak”?

Klootzak

And its a very, very bad word….equivalent of the Anglo-saxon “a**hole”. It refers to, uh, something that dangles between a male’s legs and contains two nuts…

Oh I know what it means! I just couldn’t remember how to spell it. It’s my third most common ejaculation when a piece of technology won’t behave itself (and is usually followed by a swift kick)!

I’m rather surprised you would equate a penis to a rectum.  Is there something about you we didn’t know, LaMa? 

If you have nuts in your penis I’d see a doctor pronto (or at least stop doing that thing with the squirrels)!

David B. - 02 January 2007 05:15 PM

If you have nuts in your penis I’d see a doctor pronto (or at least stop doing that thing with the squirrels)!

FireFly - 02 January 2007 01:35 AM

Isn’t dutch like german?

The first thing to come to mind when reading this yesterday was, “yes, they’re similar. But Dutch is a little more wooden.”

But I figured the joke would be maybe a little obscure and streeeeetching it quite a bit. (Wooden shoes. Get it?)

So I’m posting it a day later when it’s not as relevant and I can give a little more explanation.  (Not that it makes the joke any worse (or better) now.)