What does the phrase "Dutch Picnic" mean?
October 12, 2005 8:56 AM Subscribe
What on earth is a Dutch Picnic?
From a quick Google search, it seems that no one else knows either.
From a quick Google search, it seems that no one else knows either.
The link you posted isn't working, but a google search for "dutch picnic" returned this bit from a message board:
"Dutch picnic" - I have been trying to figure out what this means with no success.
: I hadn't heard of it until you asked but a Google search seems to indicate that it was an outdoor festival, involving food and sporting activities, celebrated by Dutch Protestant settlers in the US.
Link is here
posted by luneray at 9:22 AM on October 12, 2005
"Dutch picnic" - I have been trying to figure out what this means with no success.
: I hadn't heard of it until you asked but a Google search seems to indicate that it was an outdoor festival, involving food and sporting activities, celebrated by Dutch Protestant settlers in the US.
Link is here
posted by luneray at 9:22 AM on October 12, 2005
Response by poster: Yeah, I got those, but what does it have to do with a soccer tshirt? (try the link again in a bit, the site seems to be down at the moment)
posted by krunk at 9:33 AM on October 12, 2005
posted by krunk at 9:33 AM on October 12, 2005
Related...is there a site that collects these "nationality-based" descriptors and explains them?
posted by desuetude at 9:34 AM on October 12, 2005
posted by desuetude at 9:34 AM on October 12, 2005
Or when you go 'dutch' on a date, that means both people pay their share of the cost equally.
This is part of the long-running ethnic joke that the Dutch are cheap and Reformed (strict Calvinists). Example: How do you confuse a Dutchman? Offer to mow his lawn for free on a Sunday.
It doesn't apply so much anymore, but still good for a laugh. Most people never see a Dutch joke coming.
If you ain't dutch, you ain't much.
posted by tweak at 9:37 AM on October 12, 2005
This is part of the long-running ethnic joke that the Dutch are cheap and Reformed (strict Calvinists). Example: How do you confuse a Dutchman? Offer to mow his lawn for free on a Sunday.
It doesn't apply so much anymore, but still good for a laugh. Most people never see a Dutch joke coming.
If you ain't dutch, you ain't much.
posted by tweak at 9:37 AM on October 12, 2005
Dutchman bounces a Czech.
The Dutch qualified for next year's World Cup finals last Saturday, but the game was no picnic. Maybe that's what your t-shirt is about??
posted by Floydd at 9:55 AM on October 12, 2005
The Dutch qualified for next year's World Cup finals last Saturday, but the game was no picnic. Maybe that's what your t-shirt is about??
posted by Floydd at 9:55 AM on October 12, 2005
A search for "dutch picnic soccer" turns up this answer:
I have a feeling Mr. Ruud Van Nistelrooy is the target on this one. Ruud likes to set himself in an offsides postion durring set pieces, corners, and various plays and quickly move onside before a ball is sent. He has to have the most offsides calls in the premiership. F365 is calling this the Dutch Picnic.
posted by jrossi4r at 10:11 AM on October 12, 2005
I have a feeling Mr. Ruud Van Nistelrooy is the target on this one. Ruud likes to set himself in an offsides postion durring set pieces, corners, and various plays and quickly move onside before a ball is sent. He has to have the most offsides calls in the premiership. F365 is calling this the Dutch Picnic.
posted by jrossi4r at 10:11 AM on October 12, 2005
the long-running ethnic joke that the Dutch are cheap
From my perspective while socializing with Scandinavian friends; it's the economy that leaves the dilemma for each person covering their cost.
posted by thomcatspike at 10:26 AM on October 12, 2005
From my perspective while socializing with Scandinavian friends; it's the economy that leaves the dilemma for each person covering their cost.
posted by thomcatspike at 10:26 AM on October 12, 2005
Doesn't it work out the same in the Land of the Free, thomcatspike, if you treat, then they treat? Except for those freeloaders eating out of the dumpster.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 10:51 AM on October 12, 2005
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 10:51 AM on October 12, 2005
Response by poster: jrossi4r seems to have the right idea, but I don't think that is it... it's just one guy's guess in a forum.
(I get the other "Dutch" references, but they don't seem to have anything to do with the question I asked)
May have to email football365 and see what they have to say.
posted by krunk at 11:02 AM on October 12, 2005
(I get the other "Dutch" references, but they don't seem to have anything to do with the question I asked)
May have to email football365 and see what they have to say.
posted by krunk at 11:02 AM on October 12, 2005
Trinity Lutheran Church in Westminster, Maryland, takes credit for orginating Dutch Picnics.
posted by Carol Anne at 11:21 AM on October 12, 2005
posted by Carol Anne at 11:21 AM on October 12, 2005
Quinion's World Wide Words has this to say about other terms using "Dutch"
posted by grateful at 1:15 PM on October 12, 2005
posted by grateful at 1:15 PM on October 12, 2005
'Dutch' as a pejorative meaning cheap or inadequate comes from the massive English rivalry with the Dutch for colonial power and command of trade routes during the Age of Sail. You can find a bewilderingly long list of expressions like 'Dutch treat', 'Dutch courage', 'Dutch uncle', 'Dutch auction', 'Dutch trade' etc, all of which were once employed as a way of demeaning Dutch everything and implying cheapness.
What that has to do with your shirt, I don't know.
posted by Miko at 2:11 PM on October 12, 2005
What that has to do with your shirt, I don't know.
posted by Miko at 2:11 PM on October 12, 2005
Have you tried contacting 365.com and asking them?
(not a snark, just curious)
posted by Catch at 3:50 PM on October 12, 2005
(not a snark, just curious)
posted by Catch at 3:50 PM on October 12, 2005
The description for the shirt says, "That's a bit of a Dutch picnic!" My assumption for the tone of this leads me to believe it means something like a clusterf**k. Chinese fire drill, anyone?* After all, the store is based in the UK, so (as mentioned) there's probably some rivalry there. On the other hand, their slogan is "By the fans for the fans!", so perhaps the shirt is for fans of the Dutch soccer team, and indicates that they feel a game against any opponent is a "picnic" - easy, maybe so much so it's almost not worth the time it takes.
*No offense meant toward any Chinese, or firemen, or Chinese firemen. Just pointing out a more common saying (with a similar meaning?)
posted by attercoppe at 8:52 PM on October 12, 2005
*No offense meant toward any Chinese, or firemen, or Chinese firemen. Just pointing out a more common saying (with a similar meaning?)
posted by attercoppe at 8:52 PM on October 12, 2005
desuetude: my first stop for this kind of reference is a book by Jonathon Green: Words Apart: The Language of Prejudice (1996). I don't have it near me to check for Dutch Picnic, but it is interesting reading and good reference. The Powell's robot appears to have partially confused this book with a different Words Apart: A dictionary of Northern Ireland English but it looks like the listing is otherwise right.
posted by xueexueg at 6:11 AM on October 13, 2005
posted by xueexueg at 6:11 AM on October 13, 2005
This thread is closed to new comments.
A Dutch Feast, on the other hand is where the host gets drunk before the guests do.
Goddamn Dutch....
posted by Floydd at 9:20 AM on October 12, 2005