Could millions of humans be wrong, for hundreds of years. Well, history does teach some human mistakes were made over the ages of time. Quite a few related to generalisations. So, I guess in line with that calling Nederlanders: 'Dutch' is not such a big one. Just as it might be difficult to understand that Belgium is a souvereign country. And no longer part of 'the Nederlands', therefore there is only one Nederland. The irony of this all being that I actually believe there is a planet called earth, where we all live on and borders are just there to keep the war mongering power sick psychopaths in their seats. But stubborn as I am, according to others, I call it being persistent myself, I'm going to put this straight, once and for all. And it will be on the Steem ON Graphene {SONG} blockchain. That is almost like it was written in stone, in the old days.
And when you have read this you will understand that although the title first looked like a provocation you became enriched with knowledge. So, at diner tonight, at this darkest day of the year, you can start the conversation with: "Today I Learned..." Yes, you have my permission to spread the truth, as it was once written in stone. Because no matter who started the wrongdoing, repeating it does not change it for the good. There, another leason. Wow, mind blowing is it not? Please keep that tongue in cheek because this is ment to be like that also. What fun is learning when you cannot have a laugh too? There is already so much that humans do, in day-to-day life, that actually could make us wonder if we were not the mistake of creation. But then I would do you wrong and with you all those others who still believe in love and peace.
Did I drift off again?
Back on the subject then. Where you can join in a little experiment. Don't worry, it won't catch fire, like during Chemistry, nor will it start to smell like the content of rotten eggs. So, yeah, it is a bit boring, I guess. But, I need you to sit down for this one. Specially when you are reading this while holding your mobile. Maybe new to you, but here in Nederland people are riding their bike while checking their social media. Or they walk by talking to their phone, giving me information about their private lifes that I do not really want to know. And oh, they do seem to forget the other traffic, like cars, but in them also are people who are going trough the status updates of others. Seems like social media made some a bit anti-social in fact.
Ow, sorry, you already sat down? Ah well, this experiment is with words. Now I'm asking for an open mind when you join in on it. Leave the messenger alive, okay? Here it goes: first say 'Dutch' out loud. Now, don't shout it, that might upset people on the street. Okay, you got that right? Do this as often as you would like, I have all day. No not really, had to write this in high speed. Lots of things to do here. Anyway, you have enjoyed the sound of that word and really felt the right tone of it, right?
Now part two of this experiment, say 'Deutsch' outloud... Go on, throw your hair down! Again, do not do this from the top of your voice. Because entrepeneurs and traders might get scared. By the way if you say you want to make a 'Dutch Oven', nobody in Schotland would want to go under the blankets with you. (Go read some stuff of @meesterboom, he can tell you why...) Anyway, moving on.
Did you hear a difference between 'Dutch' and 'Deutsch'? Now, remember this because 'Deutsch' actually means people from, what the English/ American speaking have come to know as, 'Germany'. And to the German people their country is known 'Deutschland' and when you ask them what language they speak they would tell you: "Deutsch". And for sake of the experiment, say 'Deutschland' out loud. WOW, there is a land of the Dutch! Yep, it is called 'Germany'. And they are our neighbours. Here in Oldambt we live at the border between Nederland and Deutschland. Our old spoken language is actually almost the same. It is called 'Plat', we say 'Moi' when we greet each other, they say 'Moin'.
Still our major languages differ, but they are Germanic of origin. Just like Dansk, Norsk and Svensk, they all have a common language ancestor: old Germanic. Again I sidestep, but hey, there wil be more TIL for you at the table to tell tonight! ;-)
When New York still was New Amsterdam
"Here mate, there's a Big Apple and an egg, now your New Amsterdam is New York!" Hard to believe the Nederlanders fell for that trick right? Well, if history is right, the British actually bought New Amsterdam from the Nederlanders, hundreds of years ago, for a Big Apple and an egg and called it New York. And then you thought the Nederlanders want things cheap, right...? And it seems the misunderstanding began about that time. There were a lot of settlers that moved to what was know as America by then. They came from all parts of Europe. There were French, Portugese, Spanish, British, Nederlanders (well, use Nederish then, if you must) and yes Germans! But, specially hundreds of years ago they did not call themselves 'Germans'.
If you would have asked the Germans back then what language they spoke they would have answered: "Deutsch". And if they spoke a more 'Plat' type of that, just like the Nederlanders there, then it would have sounded a lot alike. Roman language speaking Europeans would probably thought German and Nederlands sounded much alike. The British would have thought so. And then, when you hear 'Deutsch' and nobody had shown you how to actually write that in the right way, how would you probably write it down? My guess is like 'Dutch', what do you think?
"But, you do want things cheap and sell expensive!"
Ask merchants about Nederlanders and they could tell you something like: "They look, touch, then go away without buying. And then when they return they want to haggle for the bottom price!" But then it is called 'Dutch' and I think that this is unfair towards the real 'Deutsch', our German neighbours, remember: 'Deutschland'. So therefore I suggest you say that it is 'Nederish', just like England becomes 'English' and Scotland becomes 'na h-Alban', sorry I mean 'Scottish'. And so forth and so on.
To summerize it: 'Dutch' actually should have been known as 'Deutsch' and that is about Germany, or as the Germans know their own country 'Deutschland'. And the merchants here love the German customers, because they actually buy stuff without any haggle. Although I remember from the time being a store-manager that they could make quite a mess of the shop. But they are very polite, and at least they stop at a pedestrian crossing. Where many of the Nederish car drivers don't seem to have understood the meaning of that concept. And one has to fear for ones own life when crossing the road at those places specially ment to be used for that.
But Germans are never cheap about anything as far as I know. That is why you can still go to a restaurant in Germany without paying through the nose. "That much food, for that small amount of money?" Yes, I guess we, Netherish, want a lot of profit and pay a lot of tax to be able to do so in Nederland. By the way, there is this little restaurant in Bunde, 'Deutschland', that serves an awesome plate of Gyros (Greek meal), and I can really recommend it to you.
We gave you the 'Dollar' and 'Shares'
Here in Nederland we had a coin value called 'Daalder', it was one and a half Guilder ('Gulden', in Nederish)in value. And although Nederland is a small country, only about 16 million inhabitants, it was trading with a lot of countries all over the world. That means learning other people their customs and languages. Children, overhere, know how to speak English from a very young age for example. Like I learned 'Deutsch' , sorry German, from a young age and English at about when I turned 11. And so when I thought the Pennsylvanian Dutch spoke Nederlands, when I still was living the lie, I was disappointed when I actually heard them speak: 'Deutsch'... Oops I did it again, I ment 'German'. And from that day on I became like a kind of Don Quichotte.
And yes, Nederland gave the Americans the name for their coin: 'Dollar', because when spoken in old Nederlands 'Daalder' it sounds a lot like 'Doalar'. Now imagine you were from British origin, what would you write? Ow, come on now, admit it for Peter his sake! You would write 'Dollar', who do you want to kid!?
Companies with shares, that was introduced by the Nederlanders. And I do not want to brag, well not too much anyway, but in a way Steem Power is like owning stock. So, there is a part of Nederland's history in your Steem account too. XD
The flag of New York still reminds of it's Nederish origin. Broadstreet was just 'Brede weg' and there are many streetnames that remind of an era long gone. And from that time came the wrong name for the Nederlanders/ Nederish. It all came from a misunderstanding between the British and the Germans. Althought the Germans just told it they way they were used to tell others about what language they spoke and still speak today: "Deutsch".
En fin
Now, I do not want to keep you sitting at the diner table for hours, just talking about Nederland, in singular form. That we are to be known as Nederlanders, or the Netherish, that we speak Nederlands, or Netherish. And I know that a lot will still use the wrong name for us, or say Holland, when there are actually just two provinces here that are called: north-Holland and south-Holland. Still you can say "Today I Learned" at the diner table, when the day with the shortest amount of light, at the nothern hemisphere, is almost done and the light is on it's way back.
Thank you for reading.
Wishing peace on earth and all being well.
photo cc-by-sa @oaldamster
- 50/50 payout, 'cause new underwear has to be bought, sometimes.