Dutch is one of the many languages that Circle Translations specializes in when it comes to translation projects. We have a large pool of proficient Dutch translators who can easily produce English to Dutch or Dutch to English translations on demand. Most of them are native Dutch speakers and are not only fluent in the language but also fully understand all its nuances and idiosyncrasies.
If you are thinking of getting some of your content translated into Dutch, whether they are official business documents or personal texts, it would be nice to learn a thing or two about this beautiful language while you’re at it.
A Lot Of Common English Words Have Dutch Origins.
When the Dutch settled into American land in the 17th century, among their lasting contributions to American culture are several words that have since become part of the English language. Many of these are related to food and drink, such as coleslaw, cookie, brandy, gin and waffles.
There are also plenty of seafaring words that came from the Dutch, like keelhaul, starboard, freight, buoy, and skipper. It would surprise many Americans to know that even the word dollar comes from Dutch origins.
A Lot Of Common Dutch Words Have French Origins.
If you speak French, it would be very easy for you to learn how to speak Dutch because there is an abundance of common words in their vocabulary. As a matter of fact, more than a quarter of Dutch words are derived from other languages, mostly from French. A lot of them have even retained the original French spellings.
Dutch Words Can Be Unbelievably Long.
Dutch is a West Germanic language, and is actually a derivation of the old Frankish language. Just like German, the Dutch vocabulary is rife with compound words that they form simply by stringing a series of smaller words together. For example, Vervoerdersaansprakelijkheidsverzekering is one of the longest words that we often encounter in the translation projects that we get from clients. It means carriers’ liability insurance.
These compound words are among the biggest focuses in Dutch document translation. It is often the case that official documents might need a slight change in layout after being translated into Dutch, mainly because of these long words. Also, when texts are translated into the Dutch language, the translation usually ends up as much as 15% longer than the original English content.
More Than 150,000 Americans Speak Dutch Fluently.
They might not use it much in everyday conversations but Dutch is certainly spoken actively in the homes of these 150,000 Americans. Many of these Dutch-speakers are descendants of the Dutch settlers that came to America centuries ago.
In Delaware, Ohio and Indiana, Dutch is one of the top 15 languages spoken by residents. However, this is not to be confused with Pennsylvania Dutch that the Amish and Mennonites speak. Theirs is actually one of many German dialects.
