What if English words were more like Dutch! (1)

Learning Dutch through etymology and cognates

How to learn Dutch fast as an English speaker? My method: Etymology and Cognates. It's applicable to any Germanic language.

In this video, we go through a word journey, breaking down Dutch words and reconstructing them as pseudo-English words! It’s not a linguistically bulletproof method, but if you bear with the premise of the video, you might find this a valuable tool in learning Dutch, or any other Germanic language.

If you know some basic rules such as the second Germanic consonant shift for example, you can often predict what a word would sound like in Dutch, low German, high German, modern English, old English, or in any other direction. This method works best if you speak English or a Germanic language.

I am a language enthusiast. I tried learning Chinese in China, and even though I tried my best for 4 years, I do not have much to show in terms of language mastery. However, I’ve learned Dutch quite fast. I’ve recently passed the CNaVT academic B2 exam after one and half years of studying Dutch (Duolingo+self-study+Dutch classes). This certificate allows me to study in Dutch in Flanders and the Netherlands at the University level.

When people ask me how I’ve managed to learn Dutch so fast, this is it. This is my secret! I use the power of etymology and cognates to make the Dutch words sticky and memorable. I never forget a Dutch word if I can deconstruct it the way I’ve explained in this video.

Good luck! Please share your ideas and tips. Thank you! Heel erg bedankt! Cheers, Schol

Some related videos that have inspired me:

Dutch Language - Can English speakers understand it? by ‪@Ecolinguist‬    • Dutch Language | Can English speakers...  

Can Germans Understand Dutch? by ‪@EasyGerman‬    • How similar are German and Dutch?  

Interview with an Anglo-Saxon in Old English by ‪@simonroper9218‬    • [PLEASE READ DESCRIPTION] Interview w...  

The Dutch Language (NOT Deutsch!) by ‪@Langfocus‬    • The Dutch Language (NOT Deutsch!)  

Things I wish I knew BEFORE learning Dutch by ‪@caseykilmore‬    • Things I wish I knew BEFORE learning ...  

Disclaimer: I am not a Dutch teacher. I am a Dutch learner. My focus is on cognates and etymology, not accurate translations.

Music used in the video (in order of appearance):
1. Modus Operandi (M.O.) - Wes Hutchinson
2. Nimbus - Eveningland
3. Silky Smooth - Audio Hertz
4. Love Aside - Patrick Patrikios
5. Pluck It Up - Dan Henig

Part 2:    • What if English words were more like ...  

#Dutch #English #similarities #cognates #etymology #Nederlands #leren