Hello Bonnie,
I was amazed to recognize so many names derived quite logically from the old Dutch into your English, either by translation or phonetically.
Would never have come up with those the other way round. Like Broadway into Breedeweg or Heereweg, the latter being still quite common here in the "old" Netherlands.
Nederland which would correctly be translated into "the lower lands" but somehow changed into "nether" lands.
Is "nether" still used in English? And if so what does it mean? Must look that up.
the dutch left words here and they changed... like arthur kill derives from "achter kill" or the river behind [staten island] and "kill van kull" from river from the bay. btw, you looked good in that dry suit in 39 degree water.
w
"Nether" is definitely still used in English, still with the meaning of "lower". Netherlands would be lower lands, as you said. Netherworld is another good compound word - that brings in some interesting overtones of evil. And then of course "nether regions" is a commonly used euphemism for the backside & other, er, interesting bits in the same vicinity.
And speaking of bottoms - Will, there is a shapely-bottom post in the pipeline. Perhaps I will dedicate it to you.
Breukelen(Bronx), Harlem(Haarlem)
yacht(jacht). So many words are from the Dutch language.
Some are more negative: Dutch courage, going dutch etc.
As the US is a young country, people were taking words from Abroad.
same as your English.
Maybe in a few hundred years the American English will be like our Dutch in South AFrica nowadays. A little bit different.
Regards Jörgen
Hey Bonnie, thanks for the posting on the Dutch language in NY--I am always seeking out these place names, and hope to go to Amsterdam this summer to stumble over some more. I never would have made the connection between Paerdegat and Barnegat without this discussion. Too bad it's too cold to sit on the "stoop" and ponder these. To our Dutch readers, you would have such a good laugh if you heard this "Brooklyn" girl pronounce such things as "New Utrecht High School" or "Van Wyck Expressway." And, to round it out, one of my kids went to "Stuyvesant High School" where the sports teams are known as the Peg Legs in honor of Peter, our first (quite sketchy) governor, and his wooden prosthesis.
I'm thoroughly enjoying this! BTW, The Island at the Center of the World is a very good history of the early days of the city, I recommend it very highly. Fascinating personalities & a well-told history.
Funny thing is, I found out about it on the subway, it was so good it made me break the no-talking rule on the subway myself. Somebody next to me was reading it, and I glanced at it as you sometimes do & - wow, what a story! I couldn't look away, it was that good. Finally asked them what the name was because I HAD to get my hands on a copy!
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