posted on November 4, 2001 12:29:28 AM new
My Dutch is a little rusty, OK, non-existant, and I would like to translate the following, about a book I'm 'looking' at.
"Leven en werken van de kabouters
Leven en werken van de Kabouter - uitgegeven in 1978 - gebonden, met stofomslag. Boek in uitstekende staat. "
I used to know of a web site that you could do short phrase translations, but now, of course, when I need it, I can not find it )-;
posted on November 4, 2001 03:50:16 AM new
Drawing on my rusty Dutch from my college days, this is my best guess what it means:
"Leven en werken van de Kabouter - uitgegeven in 1978 - gebonden, met stofomslag. Boek in uitstekende staat."
"Life and work of the Kabouter (don't know what Kabouter is) Published in 1978 -- (don't know what the next phrase means, possibly hardcover). Book is in outstanding condition."
posted on November 4, 2001 11:23:00 AM new
Yup, Kabouters are elves - they are very common in Holland in gardens, little gnomes or elves really. You might see a term like 'tuinkabouter' which is a garden elf or gnome.
Cool book!
posted on November 4, 2001 12:10:47 PM new
Yes, it isn't the most useful language in the world is it
My husband is Dutch and we lived in Holland for a while - in-laws don't speak much English so I learned out of self-defense, I needed to know what they were saying about me....!!!!
Vriendelijke groetjes,
posted on November 4, 2001 12:43:04 PM new
Thanks y'all -
Yes, Rien Poortvliet (the author of this book) is famous for his Gnomes & Elves books. But, I am looking for one of his original 'Dogs' books in Dutch. I met him, purely by accident, at the Rijiks Museum in Antwerp, while being mesmerised at the scale and scope of The Night Watch. He is a very interesting and unique individual, and we talked in the museum coffee shop for almost an hour. He sent me an autographed copy of one of his earlier books, that has been well loved by my children over the last many years.
posted on November 4, 2001 02:46:07 PM new
Well, well, well. The better half got a bunch of those little guys for the garden. We and the grandkids painted them. Interesing to hear about them, especially the "twinkabouters" term. When the neighbors bring their grandkids for a walk (this is an 'older' neighborhood), they stop and look at all the twinkabouters. LOL.
