Dunglish & Literal Translations
What do we call amusing or incorrect English sentences translated literally from Dutch, such as "Act normal, then you act crazy enough"?
Dunglish
What is the term for words in two languages that look similar but have completely different meanings (such as Dutch durven vs. English to starve)?
False friends
Which local British crisp brand name did PepsiCo consciously keep in the UK because international markets struggled to pronounce certain letters (like the 'W')?
Walkers
Correct the common mistake in this sentence: "She is more smarter than her brother."
She is smarter than her brother.
Translate this extreme idiom correctly: "Het regent pijpestelen.
It is raining cats and dogs.
Translate this typical phrase correctly into fluent English: "Dat kan geen kwaad."
"That can't hurt" or "It doesn't matter"
What does the English 'to eventually ...' mean in Dutch, and why is it a false friend to eventueel (possibly)?
uiteindelijk (finally/in the end, not maybe/possibly)
Under what alternative name did Unilever have to market its famous deodorant spray in the UK and Ireland due to prior trademarks?
Lynx
What is the grammatical debate regarding the use of "Their" in the sentence: "Everybody must bring their own laptop."
Everybody is singular, though their is frequently accepted in modern informal English as a gender-neutral pronoun (while traditionally his or her was required)
What is wrong with the sentence: "He is working here since three years." + explain.
A period of duration with 'since' requires the present perfect continuous tense: "He has been working here for three years".
What is wrong with the literal translation of the Dutch idiom "De aanhouder wint" into "The perseverer wins"?
"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again" or "Persistence pays off"
If an English person says they are very sensible, do they mean they are emotional/sensitive, or do they mean they are ...?
practical and reasonable (verstandig) (the false friend for emotional is sensitive)?
Which international dairy brand slightly altered its spelling to Dannon for the American market to prevent severe pronunciation blunders?
Danone
Choose the correct verb and form: "The number of students ___ increasing."+ explain why.
The number of students is increasing, because 'the number' is singular.
How do you fix the incorrect conditional structure: "If I would know the answer, I would tell you."
If I knew the answer, I would tell you.
Never use would in the if-clause of a second conditional sentence!
Why is the sentence "I am looking forward to meet you" grammatically incorrect according to Extreme Flight rules?
'To look forward to' must always be followed by a gerund (-ing), making it "looking forward to meeting you"?
What is the difference between the English adjective sympathetic and the false friend Dutch word sympathiek (nice/friendly)?
Sympathetic means medelevend / begripvol (showing compassion), whereas a friendly person in English is usually called nice or friendly.
Which car manufacturer had to change the name of their model Pinto for the Brazilian market because it was local slang for a male body part?
Ford
What rule applies to the word police regarding verb agreement in British English: do you say "The police is" or "The police are"? + explain your answer
"The police are" (police always takes a plural verb in British English)
What is the correct English translation for the Dutch time expression 'vrijdag aanstaande/komende vrijdag' to avoid ambiguity?
"this Friday" (since coming Friday is often considered a literal Dutchism)
How do you correctly translate the Dutch statement "Ik ben er klaar voor" without falling into the literal trap of "I am ready for it" in a formal context?
"I am all set" or "I am prepared"
What does the English word 'currently' mean, and why is it a tricky false friend when translating the Dutch word 'actueel'? Explain your answer.
- currently strictly means momenteel / op dit moment
- actueel in het Nederlands betekent "van deze tijd / hedendaags/modern" (up-to-date)
What went wrong with the introduction of the Chevrolet Nova in Spanish-speaking countries, making it a classic marketing translation blunder?
"No va" translates to Spanish as "It doesn't go" or "It doesn't ride"?
Explain the pitfall when translating the sentence "Ik heb een afspraak met de dokter" into English ("I have an appointment...")?
You use appointment for business meetings or specialists, but doctor's visit or seeing the doctor for a general practitioner?
"What is the correct English translation for the advertising slogan: "Kom naar onze winkel en ervaar het zelf" avoiding literal Dunglish?
Come to our store and experience it for yourself.