Cookies, Coleslaw, and Stoops: The Influence of Dutch on the North American Languages [Paperback]

Nicoline van der Sijs (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 9089641246 | ISBN-13: 978-9089641243 | Publication Date: September 15, 2009

From Santa Claus (after the Dutch folklore saint Sinterklaas) and his sleigh (the pronunciation of the Dutch slee is almost identical) to a dumbhead talking poppycock, the contributions of the Dutch language to American English are indelibly embedded to some of our most vernacular terms and expressions. In Cookies, Coleslaw and Stoops, the renowned linguist Nicoline van der Sijs glosses over 300 Dutch loan words like these that travelled to the New World on board the Henry Hudson’s ship the Halve Maan, which dropped anchor in Manhattan more than 400 years ago.

 

Lively and accessible, the information presented in this volume charts the journey of these words into the American territory and languages, from more obscure uses which maybe have survived in only regional dialects to such ubiquitous contributions to our language like Yankee, cookie, and dope. Each entry marks the original arrival of its term into American English and adds up-do-date information on its evolving meaning, etymology, and regional spread. Not to be missed by anyone with a passion for the history behind our everyday expressions, this charming volume is the perfect gift for the linguistic adventurer in us all.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“As a kid in New York’s Mohawk Valley I played along the laag kill, called out Kip, Kip, Kip! to our chickens at feeding time, talked to friends on their stoeps after school, and got winklehawks in my blue jeans from scrambling through barbed wire fences. It wasn’t until years later that I realized how many Dutch expressions survived in my dialect. This book is a linguistic treasure chest for anyone who grew up in the area covered by the Dutch colony of New Netherland.”—Charles Gehring, New York State Library 

(Charles Gehring )

About the Author

Nicoline van der Sijs is a linguist and a coeditor of the multi-volume Dutch Etymological Dictionary.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Amsterdam University Press (September 15, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9089641246
• ISBN-13: 978-9089641243
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #436,777 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Fun for Language Lovers and Things Dutch, January 10, 2010

By 

Barbara J. Case "plumbooks.com" (Minneapolis) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cookies, Coleslaw, and Stoops: The Influence of Dutch on the North American Languages (Paperback)

An entertaining and informative book especially for anyone who loves Dutch culture or is interested in American history and language. The author traces Dutch Immigration to America, shows where the largest settlements led to numerous Dutch Place names still in use today and lists the origins of numerous words contributed by Dutch immigrants to English still in use today. Important words like waffle,noodles,turkey,caboodle and the all important cookieStroopwafels - 20 Dutch Caramel Syrup Waffle Cookies.