Sure, I am Always Talkin’ Food, but I teach NT2 (Dutch as a second language) on the side. Mainly to young internationals who came to Amsterdam for or with love and intend to stay. For privacy reasons the names in these columns are fictitious.
Basically, there are two types of language learners. Those who seek hold of the grammar rules as if they were the handlebars of a stampeding fatbike. And those who learn through intuition and association.
I would not argue that one method is better than the other. I know that a well-dosed amount of grammar can help set a beginner up and provide guidance.
But too much focus on grammar down the road can actually begin to frustrate and even hold that process back.
Think of it as learning to ride a bicycle. In the beginning, training wheels are useful to teach a child the first cycling techniques and give her confidence. But at some point the child must learn to trust her own intuition. Scary as it may be, the training wheels must come off in order to truly participate in traffic.
Up to the point that even riding without hands on the handlebars becomes an option. Though, solely when texting someone. (I’m joking!)
I see advanced students, like Lee from Singapore, with a better knowledge of Dutch grammar than the average Nederlander struggle to participate in a spontaneous conversation. I see their brains wracking in search of the correct grammar rules.
‘Laat los! (Let go!)’, is my motto. Loose the training wheels, shove aside the rules, and just start talkin’ instead.
Dare I say: Zonder handjes! (No hands!)?
And yes, mistakes will be made, but at least you will communicate, I tell Lee.
‘And isn’t that why you’re learning this language?’
During class ’Laat los! Zonder handjes!’ becomes a running gag with the group.
But it takes an après-class get-together for Lee to finally let go and let his intuition do the talkin’. For which I praise him greatly.
At the departure, Lee jumps on his bike and looks at us before riding off, both hands in the air: 'Kijk, zonder handjes!'
My bad.
Broodjeslingo
Een brood - a loaf of bread
Het harde/zachte broodje - hard/soft roll
Het bolletje - bun
Het puntje - hoagie roll (kinda)
Het pistoletje - hard hoagie roll (kinda)
Het stokje/het stokbrood - baguette
De boterham - slice of bread
De belegde boterham - sandwich
Het Japanse melkbrood - shokupan (the basis for Japanese sandos)
Met handjes
Dutch people mostly eat their daily bread met de handen. Especially during lunch at work, when lots of them traditionally eat from a lunchbox containing stacks of belegde boterhammen. But many (office) workers go out for a gourmet broodje. The brand new sandwich bar Davie’s is in a league of his own. David Baxter (AKA Davie), a former chef of restaurant La Rive in the Amstel Hotel, now prepares his own pastrami and sausages, smokes his own salmon and ages hams for his laborious broodjes. Even though they set you back a whopping 13 euros, eat them with your hands.
Davie’s, Tweede Leliedwarsstraat 13 Amsterdam. Open: Wed-Sun 11 AM - 5 PM.