Yes, Ann, we were informed about the end of the Correspondent. Everybody involved is very sad. Membership tumbled from 50000 to 21000, mostly due to covid. People have to cut spendings. We are lucky to still have the Dutch predecessor. I am sorry I made you happy with a dead sparrow (this is a literal translation of ‘ik maakte je gelukkig met een dode mus’, auf Deutsch ‘I hab dich glücklich gemacht mit ein toter Sperrling’).

Dutch and Deutsch have much in common, but a lot of differences too. As a matter of fact English is better understood and applied more over here. I had to learn four languages, my grandchildren have rudimentary knowledge of German and French, only English and Nederlands are required courses in High School.

Most foreigners in Western Europe nowadays respond in English whenever I start talking in their language. Even the French. Notwithstanding the idiot Brexit, I think that English will be the lingua franca over here. Movies, tv-series, pop music, management speak and commercial speak are strong influences. A few examples: during the sales seasons (actually 80% of the year) our shops are littered with SALE signs, not UITVERKOOP. Ever more homes have WELCOME signs, doormats with WELCOME, and H O M E and L O V E in their windows. In companies almost everybody is manager, coming together in meetings, workshops, giving power points, showing posters in poster sessions, asking for feedback and monitoring, etc. During the last four years of my career I was forced to use English books, write an English syllabus and lecture in English. Pretty ridiculous, because I had classes of approximately 40 master students, 38 of them Dutch, two from abroad. The foreigners didn’t understand much of my English. Everybody unhappy.

German will help a little bit, but Google translate might help more.