One of English-speaking expats' most common complaints is their frustration at trying to learn Dutch when nearly everyone in the Netherlands speaks fantastic English. At the mere detection of an accent they will switch to English, never mind stuttering, hesitance, long pauses, and the other discomforts that come with trying to express thoughts through a new language filter.
This is the biggest obstacle, in my experience, followed by actual lack of studying. Most of us expats are no youngin's fresh out of school and to be hitting the books again doesn't automatically stimulate feelings of pleasant nostalgia in all of us. But if you actually want to read the Spits (yes, that's the name of a periodical here) or eavesdrop, or do any of the other trivial things requiring language, you must take steps to overcome these things:
1. KEEP SPEAKING IN DUTCH - even when they switch to English, persist in whatever you are currently passing off as the Dutch language. You may have months of conversations with shopkeepers wherein they speak to you in English and you reply in broken Dutch. Practice, however, is the most important thing, so keep at it.
2. NO, SERIOUSLY, PICK UP THAT BOOK - take a class, get a program, buy a book. Continue to actually read it. Unless you're one of the lucky few, it will take months of study for everything to snap.
3. BE PATIENT - It takes a year part-time for most average folks to learn a language. Your energy levels and enthusiasm for the work will ebb and flow. Be mentally prepared for the work and that the fruits of your labor will come later.
4. PRACTICE REGULARLY - At the office or with your partner I'd guess would be the two best bets, since these are the two primary reasons expats come to the Netherlands. If your workplace speaks English or you don't want to go that route with the spouse, join a language group. It sounds cheesy but it does work, albeit more slowly. And anyways, who couldn't do with another excuse to go out and drink?
I would be interested to hear other's thoughts on the subject of learning second languages. I never had as much trouble learning French or Spanish as I have with Dutch.
5 comments:
Probably because the French and Spanish wouln't care if you starved if you weren't going to learn their language
Being the lone person in our family to never have attempted to speak another language, I have nothing to contribute here. But really interested in what others have to say. I find it fascinating that the Dutch prefer not to try to force you to use their language, unlike the other European countries I have visited.
i think you make an great point to say that you should continue speaking the language even if the other switches to english!!
language groups are excellent i think. i think i spoke the MOST dutch ever when I went to visit my belgian friend in Brussels!! and that was because its not her first language and she was excited to practice.
yah its a bummer trying to speak in dutch with my boyfriends friends because their english is so perfect.
language groups would be the way to go if you cant practice on locals... tv/movies in dutch (even if they're dubbed AMERICAN movies)
You know me, I'm the ugly American. I say screw it and let everyone speak English.
Like most ugly Americans, my insensitivity comes from ignorance as I can barely speak our language and that side of my brain rarely works. In hindsight, taking German in high school wasn't the best idea since the opportunities to use it are so rare.
Hey, a Dutch reporter, Claus Elming from TV2, interviewed a Bears player (Hunter Hillenmeyer) down in Miami. Here's an excerpt but it's in the Tribune today:
"Your position?"
"Linebacker."
"Defense?"
"Defense."
"The Colts have a great offense. To win you must stop Peyton Manning and their offense?"
"That's right. They say great pitching can stop great hitting, so hopefully a great defense beats a great offense."
"That's baseball?"
"That's baseball."
Ha! I love it!!
I need to get that practice group up and running again. I've heard also outside of Amsterdam it's much easier to learn Dutch, less fluent-English speakers.
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