The Dutch have a
code of etiquette which governs social behaviour and is considered important. Because of the international position of the
Netherlands
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, image_map =
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, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
, many books have been written on the subject. Some customs may not be true in all regions and they are never absolute. In addition to those specific to the Dutch, many general points of
European etiquette apply to the Dutch as well.
The people
The author
Colleen Geske stated in her book ''
Stuff Dutch People Like'' that "Dutch people consider the English or American forms of
politeness
Politeness is the practical application of good manners or etiquette so as not to offend others. It is a culturally defined phenomenon, and therefore what is considered polite in one culture can sometimes be quite rude or simply eccentric in an ...
a sign of
weakness
Weakness is a symptom of a number of different conditions. The causes are many and can be divided into conditions that have true or perceived muscle weakness. True muscle weakness is a primary symptom of a variety of skeletal muscle diseases, i ...
, and reeking of
insincerity and
hypocrisy. These are two traits Dutch people despise".
Research for Dutch world service radio concluded that just over half of the Dutch people living abroad consider their compatriots at home less well-mannered than other nationalities. In particular, waiters, teenagers and shop staff score badly. Some 55% of Dutch expats think the Dutch have become ruder since they left the country.
The Dutch and foreign languages
Addressing the Dutch in their
native language
A first language, native tongue, native language, mother tongue or L1 is the first language or dialect that a person has been exposed to from birth or within the critical period. In some countries, the term ''native language'' or ''mother tongu ...
may result in a reply in
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
. This phenomenon is humorously discussed in White and Boucke’s ''
The UnDutchables
The UnDutchables is a term originally coined by author Colin White who, together with author Laurie Boucke, wrote a book with the same title. The complete title is: ''The UnDutchables: an observation of the Netherlands, its culture and its inhabit ...
'':
Humor
In the 16th century, the Dutch were renowned for their humor throughout Europe, and many travel journals have notes on the happy and celebratory nature of the Dutch.
Farces and joke books were in demand and many Dutch painters chose to paint humorous paintings,
Jan Steen
Jan Havickszoon Steen (c. 1626 – buried 3 February 1679) was a Dutch Golden Age painter, one of the leading genre painters of the 17th century. His works are known for their psychological insight, sense of humour and abundance of colour.
Lif ...
being a good example.
The main subjects of Dutch jokes at the time were deranged households, drunken clerics (mostly of the Roman Catholic Church) and people with mental and/or physical handicaps. A main theme was the reproof of immoral ethics: the 'Vicar's wagging finger'. However, at the end of the 17th century, the Dutch Republic was in decline, and the Dutch Reformed Church denounced laughter and advocated sober lifestyles. Etiquette manuals appeared which considered it impolite to laugh out loud. This continued into the 1960s: during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, American soldiers were instructed not to tell jokes to the Dutch as "they would not appreciate it".
Miscellaneous
*Many
Dutch surnames start with a ''tussenvoegsel'', i.e. a prefix such as 'de' (the) or 'van' (from or of). These are neglected in alphabetical order. So a Dutchman named 'de Vries' will say his last name starts with a 'V', and you'll find him in a telephone directory under that letter. In addition, if the first name or initial is mentioned, 'de' or 'van' starts with a lower case letter. If the first name or initial is absent, the prefix starts with a capital letter. E.g. "Jan de Vries" or "J. de Vries", ''versus'' "meneer De Vries" (''Mister De Vries'').
[Hoofdletters in namen]
Genootschap Onze Taal
*The majority of the Dutch are
irreligious and religion in the Netherlands is generally considered as a very personal matter which is not supposed to be propagated in public.
*In most matters, Dutch people tend to be straightforward and open, a tendency known as .
Where Dutch directness comes from
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See also
* Etiquette in Europe Etiquette in Europe is not uniform. Even within the regions of Europe, etiquette may not be uniform: within a single country there may be differences in customs, especially where there are different linguistic groups, as in Switzerland where there a ...
* Intercultural competence
Cultural competence, also known as intercultural competence, is a range of cognitive, affective, and behavioural skills that lead to effective and appropriate communication with people of other cultures.Deardorff, D. K. (2009). ''The Sage handbook ...
* Dutch honours system
References
External links
* ''Dutch Ditz - Manners in the Netherlands'' (2nd print 2011), by Reinildis van Ditzhuyzen
Website Reinildis van Ditzhuyzen (English)
* ''Dealing with the Dutch: A Guide for Visitors, New Residents and Better Business Relationships'', by Jacob Vossestein.
{{Netherlands topics
Society of the Netherlands
Etiquette by region