I didn't have any other classes apart from History. I graduated Grammar School in 7 subjects.
Most Dutch people are bilingual. We have to be, because it's a small country with big aspirations. I mean, we founded New York for goodness sake! We boast the biggest port in Europe; we pumped water away to make new land (google "afsluitdijk" or "zuiderzee"); we have an international reputation for tolerance; we had the East India Company.... etc etc etc. We've always been a nation of slightly quixotic adventurers: "Who says we cannot do this? Let's try anyway." For that, you need at least one other language other than Dutch with which to communicate.
Also, the Dutch know that they live on a small, insignificant piece of land. Couple that with Protestant modesty and you understand why no Dutch person expects a foreigner to speak Dutch, but will instead happily display his own language ability.
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Date: 2011-02-19 06:14 pm (UTC)Most Dutch people are bilingual. We have to be, because it's a small country with big aspirations. I mean, we founded New York for goodness sake! We boast the biggest port in Europe; we pumped water away to make new land (google "afsluitdijk" or "zuiderzee"); we have an international reputation for tolerance; we had the East India Company.... etc etc etc.
We've always been a nation of slightly quixotic adventurers: "Who says we cannot do this? Let's try anyway."
For that, you need at least one other language other than Dutch with which to communicate.
Also, the Dutch know that they live on a small, insignificant piece of land. Couple that with Protestant modesty and you understand why no Dutch person expects a foreigner to speak Dutch, but will instead happily display his own language ability.