Separated by a common translation? How the british and the dutch communicate

The British and Dutch share a long naval-, war- and medical history, in good times as well as bad. Their language has a common Germanic origin, but the English people may use special ways to express values or opinions, from which the sometimes paradoxical meaning is not always clear to the other party. Particularly with the Dutch, renowned for their directness, this may cause confusion. We provide a comprehensive set of expressions, each with paired interpretations, to foster Anglo–Dutch cooperation. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2011; 46:409–411. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.