Category Archives: Vocabulary Intermediate

354. Allochtoon

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immigrant, alien, foreigner [noun] [de allochtoon, de allochtonen] [‘al-log-toon’]

The word ‘allochtoon’, or ‘allochtonen’, is mostly used in the Netherlands when referring to immigrants. Originally this word, stemming from ancient Greek, simply means ‘coming from another land’. An ‘autochtoon’, also from Greek origin, means ‘coming from the same land’.

The official definition of allochtoon (by the Dutch Statistical Office) can be a bit
confusing as it states that an "allochtoon" is somebody born in a different country, or having a parent born in a different country. When this definition is literally applied, most members of our Royal Family are also ‘allochtonen’!

Examples:
– "Een allochtoon is iemand die in het buitenland is geboren of van wie één ouder of beide ouders in het buitenland zijn geboren (officiële definitie)."
("An immigrant is someone who was born abroad or who has a parent that was born abroad (official definition).")

– "Volgens bovenstaande definitie, is Sander een allochtoon."
("According to the definition above, Sander is an ‘allochtoon’.")

– "Als je ouder een allochtoon is, ben jij een tweede-generatie allochtoon (officiële definitie)".
("If one of your parents is an immigrant, you are a second-generation immigrant (official definition).")

Related words:
– "Buitenlander": foreigner living in the Netherlands, literally "outside-country man". This word is generally only applied to the traditional immigrants.
– "Immigrant": immigrant.
– "Autochtoon": somebody who is originally from – in this case – the Netherlands.
– "Excuusallochtoon": ‘excuse’ allochtoon, see below.
– "Knuffelallochtoon": see below.

Extra:
The word "allochtoon" was introduced by a Dutch sociologist in the
1970s to soften the Dutch words ‘immigrant’ or ‘buitenlander’, both
meaning immigrant.
The intention to introduce a word without a negative intonation did not
succeed as recently members of the Dutch Labour Party tried to ban the
word ‘allochtoon’ from official documents, because of its pejorative
sense. It seems like time’s ripe for another word.

The Dutch government stimulates Dutch companies to apply ‘positive discrimination’ when hiring new employees in that they prefer an "allochtoon" over an "autochtoon" if they are equally suitable for the position. The goal is to have a better refection of society in the personnel. If such an "allochtoon" is hired this person is sometimes mockingly called an "excuusallochtoon" by criticasters of this policy. Or, in general when "allochtonen" are favoured just to be politically correct, or are put forward as a successful example of integration into society, you might here the same criticasters speak of a "knuffelallochtoon". The Dutch/Moroccan rapper ‘Ali B’ once got Queen Beatrix to kiss him on the cheek by saying he was a ‘knuffelallochtoon’!

This DWOTD was provided by guest author Laura.

Feestbeest

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party animal [noun] [het feestbeest, de feestbeesten] [‘feest-beest’]

Hallo_feestbeest_kom_je_ook
“Feestbeest” is composed of “feest” and “beest”, which respectively translate to “party” and “animal”/”beast”, hence “party animal” 🙂

Examples:
– “Zo, feestbeest, heb je een kater?”
(“Well, party animal, do you have a hangover?”)

– “Ken je Frank? Door de week een saaie consultant, maar in het weekend een groot feestbeest!”
(“Do you know Frank? During the week a boring consultant, but in the weekend a big party animal!”)

– “Carnaval in Maastricht is echt leuk man!” – “Ja, zeker voor zo’n feestbeest als jij…”
(“The carnival in Maastricht is really fun man!” – “Yes, certainly for such a party animal like yourself…”)

Related words:
– “Beest”: animal, beast.
– “Feesten”: to party.
– “Kater“: hangover.

Eén keer nooit meer!

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Once but never again! / One time only! [Dutch phrase of the week]

Literally “One time, never again” this informal expression implies that the experience was bad or disappointing and you have no intention to go through that again voluntarily. Therefore it is a bit stronger than just a ‘one time affair’.

You will also hear the (more formal) expression “Eens, maar nooit weer”, which has the same meaning.

Examples:
– “Ik ben vanochtend met de tram naar het werk gegaan. Eén keer nooit meer, wat een plebs!”
(“I took the tram to work this morning. Never again I say, what plebs!”)

– “Ik heb laatst meegedaan aan speed-daten. Nou, één keer nooit meer, want dat werkt dus echt niet!”
(“I have recently participated in speed dating. Well that was a one time affair, because it really doesn’t work!”)

– “En ben je nog koffie wezen drinken in the Amsterdam American Hotel?” – “Ja, en het was één keer nooit meer, wat een afzetters!”
(“And, did you have coffee in the Amsterdam American Hotel?” – “Yes and I will never go back, what a rip-off!” Mind that “afzetten” is the verb for “serious overcharging” for something (goods or service). The use of the verb “wezen” indicates an activity (a longer period of time).)

Niet te doen

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impossible, tough, very unpleasant [Dutch phrase of the week]

traffic-677106_640This phrase is used when things are difficult or almost impossible to accomplish or when a situation is tough in general. And this can be anything, from lousy weather to climbing the Mount Everest and from boring presentations to difficult exams. You can use it as part of a sentence but also on its own.

The translation is a bit difficult to give, it depends a lot on the context. Literally it says: “not to be done” or “not doable”.

Examples:
– “Het was niet te doen in de stad vanmiddag, veel te druk!”
(“It was very unpleasant in the city centre this afternoon, way too crowded!”)

– “Door een ongeval op de A13 was het voor veel automobilisten vanochtend niet te doen om Den Haag te bereiken.”
(“For many drivers it was almost impossible to reach the Hague this morning, due to an accident on the A13.”)

– “Het was niet te doen om mijn fiets te reparen, ik heb niet het juiste gereedschap.”
(“It was impossible to repair my bicycle, I don’t have the proper tools.”)

– “Ik vond het examen echt niet te doen, belachelijk gewoon!”
(“I though the exam was too tough, just ridiculous!”)

– “De presentatie van de directeur was zo saai, het was gewoon niet te doen, ik ben in slaap gevallen!”
(“The managing director’s briefing was so boring, I just couldn’t handle it, I fell asleep!”)

Dat is het hele eieren eten!

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And that’s all there is to it! / That’s how it’s done! [Dutch phrase of the week]

eggs-750847_640You can use this phrase to conclude your explanation of how something is done. Usually it implies that it is not all that difficult.

Literally the expression “Dat is het hele eieren eten” translates to “That is the whole egg eating”. Weird people the Dutch, are they not?

Examples:
– “Je neemt de tram naar CS, de trein naar Schiphol, je checkt in bij balie 16 en dan direct door naar de paspoortcontrole; dat is het hele eieren eten!”
(“You take the tram to central station, then the train to Schiphol, you check in at row 16 and then straight to passport control; that’s all there is to it!”)

– “Luister mamma, je doet eerst Control-Alt-Delete, dan selecteer je ‘Taakbeheer’ en dan stop je gewoon het proces! Echt, dat is het hele eieren eten!”
(“Listen mom, you first do Control-Alt-Delete, then you select ‘Task manager’ and then you just stop the process! Really, that’s all there is to it!”)