Talking Dutch Trivia Quiz

Answer: Double Dutch

The Anglo-Dutch wars of the 17th-18th centuries led to many disparaging idioms referencing the Dutch making their way into the English language.

The phrase 'Double Dutch' means to talk nonsense or talk in a manner that others cannot understand. It is in a similar vein to the phrase "It's all Greek to me". One theory for the origin of the phrase 'Double Dutch' states that High Dutch was spoken in the southern part of Germany while Low Dutch was spoken in the Netherlands. Double Dutch poked fun at the High Dutch and was therefore ridiculing the Germans and not the Dutch.

Answer: Dutch courage

Dutch courage is courage gained from drinking alcohol or being drunk. Gin was derived from jenever, a Dutch alcohol. Jenever, like gin, traces its name to the juniper berries from which it is distilled. Dutch courage may have originated from the English soldiers mocking of the Dutch during the Anglo-Dutch wars.

Answer: Dutch act

Dutch act refers to the act of committing suicide. Like some of the other Dutch related phrases, this originated as a reference to the Germans or Deutsch and not the Dutch from the Netherlands. This term is traced back to the United States and one of the possible explanations is that it was coined by the St. Louis Police Department following a string of suicides among the wealthy St. Louis German-Americans in the early 1900s.

Answer: Go Dutch

Going Dutch is a phrase that indicates everyone sharing the meal or participating in any activity pays their portion of the bill. Other such similar expressions are Dutch treat and Dutch date. As with many of these phrases, there are various theories on how this term originated. One theory is that it is derived from the Dutch door, where the top and bottom half can be opened independently from each other.

Another ascribes the term to the Germans who became the Pennsylvanian Dutch in the US.

Answer: Dutch metal

Dutch metal is a cheap alloy, usually brass. It is sometimes also called Dutch gold and is used to create gold imitation products. Since it is made of cheaper metals like copper and zinc, it tarnishes easily, unlike real gold.

Answer: Dutch uncle

A Dutch Uncle is one who gives frank advice, without any sugarcoating. The word uncle here does not signify any actual blood relation. Unlike some of the other overtly negative terms involving the Dutch, this one can also be used positively to indicate a straightforward person. One of the earliest written references to this phrase is "Charcoal Sketches" by Joseph C. Neal, that was published in 1837.

Answer: Dutch leave

Dutch leave isn't any type of leave. It is instead a way to describe someone who has deserted their post or, in the case of wartime, defected to the other side. Another expression with similar meaning is "French leave", this one involving another of England's longterm rivals, the French.

Answer: Dutch reckoning

A bill described as Dutch reckoning is one that has a lump sum amount noted with no break up of individual expense items. The overall amount charged is considered to be significantly higher than expected and is the reason why it is non-itemized. Over time, this phrase has come to be used for any bill that is a subject of dispute due to the amount being charged.

Answer: Dutch nightingale

This phrase is quite self explanatory. It pokes fun at the vocal talents of the Dutch by comparing a frog (known for harsh croaking) to a Dutch nightingale where the nightingale is generally considered one of the best among the avian singers. Given the water clogged low-lying terrain of the Netherlands, the Dutch were implied to live in a similar habitat to frogs.

Answer: Dutch agreement

A Dutch agreement refers to a pact made between two parties while they were drunk. The expectation is that neither party will remember the agreement when they are sober. This is another term that disparages the Dutch by attempting to highlight both a fondness for alcohol and unreliability.