Bezig : Busy

Although these two words don't on the surface look very similar they do sound linked.


Bezig is pronounced /ˈbeː.zɪx/ and busy is pronounced: /ˈbɪzi/


So not exaclty the same but happily similar to help in remembering the link between them.


You won't be surprised to learn that they have the same root and that busy is "cognate with Old Dutch bezich, and Lower German besig." Reference.


I'd be happy to hear some of the subtle differences between the words 'busy', 'bezig' and 'druk'...

Nederlands en Vlaams zijn verschillende talen

Interesting look at a few differences between the Dutch language as spoken in Flanders and in the Netherlands.


beenhouwer = slager = butcher

Note: houwer is akin to the English word hewer (one who hews) : to shape or strike (as of an axe).

Engels Leren

One benefit of learning English….

Dutch in Suriname

Interesting to hear Dutch spoken by non Netherlanders!




"Voor zo'n 23 miljoen mensen is Nederlands de moedertaal. Het is een van de 40 meest gesproken talen in de wereld."

http://taalunieversum.org/taal/feiten_en_weetjes/#feitencijfers

D becomes TH

Another useful brain bookmark I've made which does help a little in making sense of this new language I've decided to take up is that sometimes we can seek clues in the letter D.

Dutch uses 'D' sometimes where English uses 'TH' in a word of a similar meaning.

If you look at the following examples, you'll see what I mean:

Nederland : The Netherlands
Beneden : Beneath
Dief : Thief
De : The
Dit : This (sometimes!)

I find it not only useful for these words but as a marker for the language as a whole, giving me some ideas as to the structure of words.

See how close Beneath and Benedan are in their linguistic heritage:
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=beneath

From Old English: beneoðan "beneath, under, below,"