I'm Dutch if...

Tez_ja

Tez_ja

Member
polacco Polonia
Cosa significa: "I'm Dutch if...."? Pensavo: "Non sono più io se..." ma mi hanno detto, che non è cosi.
Se potete spiegarmi sarò molto contenta. Sarebbe bello anchè con qualche esempio ( una frase completa).
 
    • Solo che io ho soltanto queste parole che ho scritto la su. Voglio sapere: queste parole possono significare: "Non sono più io se..."?
     
    Well, you started with the English, "I'm Dutch if..." which is an expression I've never heard or read anywhere, so I don't know what it means or how it translates. I hoped to get a sense of it from the rest of the sentence. Sorry.

    I only found 20 Google results, but one of them was right in our own backyard, from a dear old friend of WR.
     
    Guarda, ho trovato queste parole nella terza lezione d'inglese. Ho appena cominciato studiare ( per sfortuna da sola) e già una bella sorpresa.

    Grazie.

    Grazie Isp di questo link.

    Ma adesso, poi spiegarmi in italiano ( o polacco) questa fraze:

    I'm Dutch if we are not hearty eaters..."

    Sarei molto grata.
     
    Tez_ja said:
    Grazie Lsp di questo link.

    Ma adesso, poi spiegarmi in italiano (o polacco) questa frase:

    I'm Dutch if we are not hearty eaters..."

    Sarei molto grata.
    Click to expand...
    Purtroppo non sono ancora riuscita a capire il senso.
     
    I don't know how to explain it very well in Italian, but it is somewhat of an ironic expression, e.g.

    "I'm Dutch if OHIO STATE is not the best college football team in america"!

    in altre parole, non e vero ! ????
     
    It's a little silly, but many people say,

    "I'm a monkey's uncle if..."

    I haven't ever heard of "I'm Dutch if..." but I guess if it was clearly a non-Dutch person saying it, I guess it could work :)
     
    I'm a monkey's uncle, and I'm Dutch express similar ideas.

    However, in this day of Political correctness, one should not use "i'm dutch" as you may offend some one who has a thin skin !

    Tot Ziens

    Dutch for arrivederci
     
    Non penso di usare questa frase. Solo, che l'ho incontrata nella mia lezione d'inglese, allora volevo sapere cosa significa .

    Grazie d'avvertimento e scusa dei errori. La mia conoscenza della lingua italianai non è ancora tanto profonda ( l'inglese invece, appena
    ho cominciato).
     
    Tez_ja said:
    Non penso di usare questa frase. Solo, che l'ho incontrata nella mia lezione d'inglese, allora volevo sapere cosa significa .

    Grazie d'dell'avvertimento e scusa dei per gli errori. La mia conoscenza della lingua italianai italiana non è ancora tanto profonda ( l'inglese invece, appena ho l'ho appena cominciato).
    Click to expand...

    :)
     
    One say at least in New York to go Dutch = sharing the bill in the restaurant (come in Italiano si dice facciamo alla romana).

    Person A meeting B outside the restaurant says: Let’s go Dutch and person B then says
    I'm Dutch if we are not hearty eaters.

    E come dire in Italiano: Io sono romano se non mangiamo troppo

    Che ne dite? Fa senso?
    Why they would use this obscure phrase in an English text book is another question?
     
    mateintwo said:
    One say at least in New York to go Dutch = sharing the bill in the restaurant (come in Italiano si dice facciamo alla romana).
    Click to expand...

    Si, questo ho trovato nella stessa lezione d'inglese. L'hanno spiegato nello stesso modo come hai spiegato tu: "fare alla romana".

    Ma frase "I'm Dtch if..." hanno spiegato cosi, come ho scritto prima. E, secondo me, non ha senso. Ma adesso, dopo tutti questi spiegazi, capisco. Non so come dire in italiano, ma da noi si dice ( più o meno): "posso morire se non è cosi" ( o una cosa simile)

    mateintwo said:
    Why they would use this obscure phrase in an English text book is another question?
    Click to expand...

    Questa frase hanno scritto come l'esempio di usare la parola "Dutch". Non solo come nome di una nazione, ma anche come modo di dire...
     
    If you go out to a restaurant you can say: I'm Dutch if you are.
    Meaning I'll pay my bill if you will. Facciamo alla romana.
     
    mgc said:
    If you go out to a restaurant you can say: I'm Dutch if you are.
    Meaning I'll pay my bill if you will. Facciamo alla romana.
    Click to expand...

    No, "Facciamo alla romana" = "To go Dutch"

    Invece: "I'm Duch if..." è una cosa diversa.
     
    mateintwo said:
    ...Che ne dite? Fa Ha senso?
    Click to expand...
    Common error, but worth correcting. :)
    As explained by a respected member and friend...
    Alfry said:
    Il problema è che se dici "Questa cosa mi fa senso" è come se dicessi "questa cosa mi disgusta, provoca in me un senso di disgusto".

    I appreciate that for you, an English speaker, "mi fa senso" makes more sense than "ha senso".
    Click to expand...
     
    mgc said:
    If you go out to a restaurant you can say: I'm Dutch if you are.
    Meaning I'll pay my bill if you will. Facciamo alla romana.
    Click to expand...

    I'm not sure where you are suggesting that would be said, but I have to point out that in AE, that is not a natural construction, or use of the expression "going Dutch."
     
    TGC,

    I THINK YOU ARE INCORRECT !!
    This would never be said by American English speakers

    If you go out to a restaurant you can say: I'm Dutch if you are.
    Meaning I'll pay my bill if you will. Facciamo alla romana.

    What you would say is, "Let's go Dutch."
     
    lsp said:
    I'm not sure where you are suggesting that would be said, but I have to point out that in AE, that is not a natural construction, or use of the expression "going Dutch."
    Click to expand...

    The problem is not that I or mgc are trying to come up with variations on “going Dutch” to find an application how “I am Dutch if” could be used (although agreed not the common way of saying it) but that TEZ-JA claims it means something else in English which unfortunately no English speaking person seems to know.
     
    Could it be that in the phrase there has been missed in? I found that "in Dutch" means "in trouble or disfavor".

    EDIT: on Merriam-Webster On-line dictionary there are these entries for dutch, hope it helps!
     
    Must admit I never heard about the expression in Dutch but I also found it on other online dictionaries as meaning in trouble or in disfavor so I think you must be right the original phrase omitted the in.
     
    mateintwo said:
    The problem is not that I or mgc are trying to come up with variations on “going Dutch” ...
    Click to expand...


    I didn't write that post for your or mgc's benefit, but for the people who read posts to learn new expressions. I felt (and apparently Mark Valsi felt similarly) it needed to be pointed out that the usage in that post was not correct.

    I have also heard of "in Dutch," good call, Poianone!
     
    Isp: Your answer to mgc was controlled in tone and not at all like Mark Valsi who did the equivalent of screaming (capital letters and !). I certainly knew it is not a normal way to say go Dutch but since the expression is common one can take liberties and say it differently in order to be witty. Only a “language drilling sergeant” (and I’m not referring to you) could be so rigid to say a phrase must be said in one way only. Mcg who is non-English seemed to understand my post with guess/assumption that is could be a play on going Dutch. Of course when we posted no credible alternatives had been presented but we now finally seem to agree in was missing n the original phrase.
     
    mateintwo said:
    Lsp: Your answer to mgc was controlled in tone and not at all like Mark Valsi who did the equivalent of screaming (capital letters and !). I certainly knew it is not a normal way to say go Dutch but since the expression is common one can take liberties and say it differently in order to be witty. Only a “language drilling drill sergeant” (and I’m not referring to you) could be so rigid to say a phrase must be said in one way only. Mcg who is non-English seemed to understand my post with guess/assumption that is could be a play on going Dutch. Of course when we posted no credible alternatives had been presented but we now finally seem to agree in was missing n the original phrase.
    Click to expand...
    (ah well "easy come, easy go" with the compliment...;)) I guess I'm a language drill sergeant after all. Ripeto, non intendevo il mio post né per te né per mgc. Ma quando due o tre parole diventano una frase fatta, sì che c'è un solo modo giusto per dirle e farsi capire (come drill sergeant ;))
     
    The phrase '...or I'm a Dutchman' (meaning x is true, and if it is not true then I am something I am not), comes (I think) from a George Elliot novel, I think it is 'The Mill on the Floss'.

    (I've now done a Search - it was Mill on the Floss. The phrase seems to be still fairly well used judging from search results).

    This phrase was in fairly common use, and then was partly replaced by '.... or I'm a Chinaman'.

    I would understand 'I'm Dutch if...' as meaning the same as '...or I'm a Dutchman' (just phrased in reverse), and in my opinion, it probably has nothing to do with 'going Dutch'.

    Panpan
     
    Panpan said:
    (...still fairly well used judgiing from search results).
    Click to expand...
    Hate to be picayune, but I scanned the first few pages. Some are about actually being Dutch, some were about another expression (a Dutchman's uncle) and some were querying it - but not actually using it in context. My advice to those studying English, especially colloquilaisms: I'd steer clear!
     
    lsp said:
    (c'è un solo modo giusto per dirle e farsi capire (come drill sergeant ;))
    Click to expand...

    We risk soon being in Dutch with the moderators if we continue off-topic discussions. I elected the word drilling to emphasize the act of drilling (perverse enjoyment while doing it) but again here is a case of not using the most common form (and according to you always the wrong way). I guess we are at odds what liberties you are allowed when forming phrases in English. But what us worry?
     
    There's only been one Brit to answer this question, and I am not 100% of the meaning, though I know it's not "going Dutch", also badly phrased, but I assume it to be British, seeing as we're so close to the Netherlands, but anyway, examples:

    "If she is over 65 then I'm a Dutch"
    "If you payed under 5K for that car then I'm Dutch"

    In a sense of, "that isn't possible, otherwise I'm Dutch", like a bet, but not a bet, because you won't suddenly turn Dutch lol.

    A few UK phrases use Dutch lol, I bet it'd confuse the Americans.
     
    lsp said:
    I'd steer clear!
    Click to expand...

    I'm not suggesting non-native speakers should use the phrases, they are really only worth knowing for comprehension.

    By the way: the Oxford Concise Dictionary, 8th edn 1992 reprint has:

    'I'm a Dutchman'. expression of disbelief or refusal.

    Which settles it. Or I'm a Chinaman (which I could be, with a name like Panpan - it's the diminutive form of 'tiger' in Mandarin i.e. 'little tiger', but actually that's just co-incidence. It's also a marine distress signal).

    Panpan
     
    I heard that when somebody speaks in an uncomprehensible way (or a difficult language) they say: That's Dutch (or something).
    (Like we say "é arabo")

    Is that true?
     
    I think the original expression is, "... or I'm a Dutchman" e.g. 'It will rain tomorrow or I'm a Dutchman', meaning that you think it is certain. That one is fairly common, if a bit antiquated.
     
    Probably it is a just a way to mean that the first sentence is unreal or the fact cannot happen.
    In Italy it is common to say: "Se tu sei un buon automobilista, allora io sono Napoleone!!!" (or Einstein, or whoever).
    Ciao
     
    cscarfo said:
    Probably it is a just a way to mean that the first sentence is unreal or the fact cannot happen.
    In Italy it is common to say: "Se tu sei un buon automobilista, allora io sono Napoleone!!!" (or Einstein, or whoever).
    Ciao
    Click to expand...

    Purtroppo dalle mie parti usa una frase un pò meno elegante, ma che serve comunque a smentire la prima parte: "Se tu sei un buon automobilista, Cicciolina è vergine"...
     
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