Children learn a lot of language skills by playing, singing, dancing. They know how to make learning fun. This is why children's songs and rhymes are a wonderful way to acquire a foreign language. Here are three examples. Enjoy being a child again!
The following text was taken from a Mother Goose rhyme and translated into Dutch.[1] In order to get a literal translation, the Dutch text was not made to rhyme.
Note that in Dutch the word poesje does not have the same connotation as in English. It merely means pussycat.
Read the text and use the hover method to figure out what the text means.
Use the "Vocabulary" box on the right to listen to the pronunciation of the individual words and memorize them.
Once done open the translation box to check the translation
Use the vocabulary box on the right to listen to the words and memorize them
Once you think you have figured out what it means, open the translation box to check
Poesje Mauw
Kom eensgauw
Ik heb lekkeremelk voor jou
En voor mij
Rijstebrij
O watheerlijksmullen wij!
Vocabulary
eens
once; modal particle
gauw
quickly
lekker
tasty, nice
de melk
milk
de rijst
rice
heerlijk
wonderful
smullen
munch, eat with delight
Translation • Example 1 • Poesje mauw
Pussycat Meow
Come quickly
I have tasty milk for you
And for me
Rice porridge
Oh how we will enjoy this meal!
The meter in the Dutch version is nearly perfect and should provide hints for pronouncing the words.
Lekkere is pronounced as 'le-kre' in this case, to fit the meter (but this poetic license, not non-standard pronunciation).
Now that you understand the poem, go see a video of it, see here (Notice that in some dialects ij and ei are pronounced more like [ɑɪ̯] than as [ɛɪ̯].)
There is a pretty astounding 'performance' of this song by (the late) Corrina Konijnenburg that was recorded in 1967 in a children's show by Dorus (real name Tom Manders). Note that the performer took a few liberties. Notice that she pronounces poesje as poessie as is usual in Hollandic dialects.
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