31 Oct 05
3 edits
Originally posted by ivanhoeIs this a Dutch pun, or are you just trying to confuse me with the irregular verb?
Hallo Cribs, ik ben Ivanhoe en je liegt dat je zwart ziet ...... 😛 😀
Zwart zijn is niet zwart zien!
What a contradictory sounding language you have! I may have to abandon my studies.
By the way, Nemesio is right. Why don't you rebuke RBHILL for saying that Catholics pass off stale grape juice as communion wine?
31 Oct 05
1 edit
Originally posted by DoctorScribblesDr.S: "Zwart zijn is niet zwart zien!"
Zwart zijn is niet zwart zien!
What a contradictory sounding language you have! I may have to abandon my studies.
By the way, Nemesio is right. Why don't you rebuke RBHILL for saying that Catholics pass off stale grape juice as communion wine?
You are absolutely right. There is a saying in Dutch which goes: "Je liegt dat je zwart ziet". Meaning something like "You are lying so much, your face is turning black", or: "You are lying so much and as a consequense of that you are seeing all things black". The meaning depends on how you interprete the expression. To be perfectly clear, in Dutch the saying has no racial connotations whatsoever. It is a very common expression, so I decided to use it on you, because you stated that you were black, a black man, which is a porky pie. Dutch people will undoubtedly detect the loophole in the whole story. I hope you do too.
Dr.S: " Is this a Dutch pun"
Yes.
Since you are a beginner it was a very detestable thing to do, pulling such a trick on you, don't you agree ? 😛
31 Oct 05
1 edit
Originally posted by ivanhoeI can deal with it.
Dr.S: "Zwart zijn is niet zwart zien!"
You are absolutely right. There is a saying in Dutch which goes: "Je liegt dat je zwart ziet". Meaning something like "You are lying so much, your face is turning black", or: "You are lying so much and as a consequense of that you are seeing all things black". The meaning depends on how you interprete the exp ...[text shortened]... ginner it was a very detestable thing to do, pulling such a trick on you, don't you agree ? 😛
I thought it meant "You are lying [when you say] that you see black," not "You are lying [so much] that you are seeing black." How would you say the former in Dutch?
Are there any black people in the Netherlands?
31 Oct 05
2 edits
Originally posted by ivanhoeI see that we can learn from each other. Quid pro quo. Here's a similar English idiom: You're so full of shit, your eyes are brown.
You are absolutely right. There is a saying in Dutch which goes: "Je liegt dat je zwart ziet". Meaning something like "You are lying so much, your face is turning black"
31 Oct 05
4 edits
Originally posted by DoctorScribblesDr.S.: "How would you say the former in Dutch?("You are lying [when you say] that you see black," ... "
I can deal with it.
I thought it meant "You are lying [when you say] that you see black," not "You are lying [so much] that you are seeing black." How would you say the former in Dutch?
Are there any black people in the Netherlands?
Well, let's see:
For instance:
"I do not see any black in this painting, I only see colours."
"Ik zie geen enkel zwart in dit schilderij, ik zie alleen maar kleuren."
(Suppose there indeed isn't any black "colour" to be detected in the painting, so the statement must be true)
In this case, if you were stating that you saw black, you were clearly lying.
"You are lying [when you say] that you see black."
"Je liegt [als je zegt] dat je zwart ziet."
To make things a bit more complicated: Zwart eruit zien = to look black.
"You look black, but you aren't." (racial)
"Je ziet er zwart uit, maar je bent 't niet."
- - - - - - -
"You are lying when you say that you are black." (racial)
"Je liegt als je zegt dat je zwart bent."
Returning to the original question:
Dr.S: "How would you say the former in Dutch?("You are lying [when you say] that you see black," ... "
"You are lying [when you say] that you see black." (looking at the colourful painting)
"Je liegt als je zegt dat je zwart ziet."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
zwart zien = to see black.
zwart eruit zien = to look black.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
But this is clearly not for beginners, Dear Doctor.
Maar dit is duidelijk niet voor beginners, Beste Doctor.
31 Oct 05
3 edits
Originally posted by DoctorScribblesDr.S: "Are there any black people in the Netherlands?"
I can deal with it.
I thought it meant "You are lying [when you say] that you see black," not "You are lying [so much] that you are seeing black." How would you say the former in Dutch?
Are there any black people in the Netherlands?
Oh yes, many people are black or coloured. We have people from all over the world, in particular in the "Randstad Holland", the triangle formed by the three major Dutch cities Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht.
We have many Dutchmen from Maroccan and Turkish descent, from South American descent (Surinam, Dutch Antilles). Asian descent (Iran, Vietnam, China, Indonesia) and of course the usual crowd formed by English, American, German, Belgian, French, Italian and Spanish people.
After the Berlin wall fell many Eastern-Europeans have also found their way to the Netherlands, among whom many Poles, people from former Yugoslavia, etc etc.