The History of English Podcast
Episode 186: A Dutch Treat
Host: Kevin Stroud
Date: October 31, 2025

Overview: The Dutch and English Linguistic Legacy in Early America

In this episode, host Kevin Stroud delves into the transformative early decades of the 17th century, tracing how English and Dutch settlements in North America shaped not only the trajectory of the continent but also the very fabric of the English language. The arrival of the Pilgrims in Plymouth, the parallel Dutch colonization of Manhattan (New Amsterdam), and developments back in England all intersected to impart a distinct Dutch flavor to American English—a legacy still present in names, words, and idioms. Stroud guides listeners through key events, notable etymologies, and enduring Dutch influences, weaving linguistic detail with rich historical narrative.

The episode is structured in three major parts:

1. The Pilgrims and Plymouth Colony
2. Contemporary Developments in England
3. The Dutch in New Netherland (New York) and Their Linguistic Legacy

Part 1: The Pilgrims and the Founding of Plymouth (00:08–28:16)

The Context and Exodus

• Pilgrims' Departure: A group of Puritan separatists, having found relative tolerance in the Netherlands during a 12-year truce with Spain, grew concerned as the truce was about to expire and war threatened. Fears of cultural assimilation and renewed persecution pushed them to seek a new life in North America.
• Language and Identity Crisis: "Their children... already spoke Dutch alongside English... they realized they were losing their English identity, and within another generation... their descendants would be fully Dutch." (14:46)

The Mayflower Voyage

• Mixed Motives Among Settlers: Only 41 of the 104 Mayflower passengers were Puritan exiles; the rest were investors, laborers, and other volunteers. The legendary "Saints" (Puritans) and "Strangers" (others) were at odds—a dynamic resolved by the Mayflower Compact, an essential act of cooperation for survival.

First Winter and Contact with Indigenous Peoples

• Devastation and Survival: Nearly half the settlers died during the harsh first winter.
• Linguistic Serendipity Saves the Colony:
  • Samoset, an indigenous man, greeted settlers in English thanks to exchanges with European fishermen.
  • Squanto, who had lived in England and spoke English fluently, became indispensable: "It's remarkable that the first two indigenous people the Pilgrims encountered both spoke English and were happy to meet the settlers and were eager to teach them how to survive in the region." (25:38)
  • Squanto's role as interpreter, agricultural advisor, and diplomat enabled the colony's survival.

Notable Quote:

"Simply stated, Squanto helped the colony to survive that first year. And one of his most important skills was his ability to speak with the settlers in their own language." (27:05)

The First Thanksgiving

• The bountiful harvest of 1621 was celebrated with the Wampanoag tribe, laying the foundation for the Thanksgiving holiday and the broader mythology of American origins.

Part 2: Developments in England and Lexical Innovations (30:46–51:47)

The Arrival of Newspapers and Dutch Influence

• First English Newspaper (1621): Derived from Dutch 'courant', highlighting Dutch influence on information-sharing. "When that Dutch newspaper was translated into English, the Dutch word courant was retained in the name." (32:10)
• Introduction of 'Gazette' from Italian 'gazzetta': Expanded English terminology for periodicals, though 'newspaper' as a compound word wouldn't appear until later in the century.

Lexical Firsts and Folklore

• First English Fairy Tale in Print: "The History of Tom Thumb" marks the introduction of traditional stories into print. Though folklore was prevalent in oral tradition, they seldom made it to manuscripts before the 1600s.
• Expanding English in North America: This period also saw the founding of Scottish Nova Scotia and English presence in Newfoundland, as well as ongoing French and Dutch colonial ambitions.

Proverb and Playful Language

• Dutch Proverbs in English: The proverb "to live and let live" is traced explicitly to Dutch origins.
• First Spoonerism: In 1622, Henry Peachum records what is considered the first English spoonerism, a playful manipulation of words that would later become a recurring feature of English humor. "'I must go die a beggar' instead of 'I must go by a dagger.'" (41:40)

Standardizing the Language

• First Use of "Dictionary" in Title (1623): Henry Cockeram's "English Dictionary" signifies the growing ambition to catalogue and standardize English. (43:38)
• Shakespeare’s First Folio: The consolidation of Shakespeare’s works highlights the fertile literary environment of the early 17th century.

Part 3: New Amsterdam (New York), Dutch Settlement, and Enduring Linguistic Legacy (51:47–End)

The Dutch Arrival and Urban Evolution

• Dutch West India Company Forms New Netherland in 1621, with the first settlers arriving in 1624. Dutch settlements, though few in number relative to English colonies, introduced a durable linguistic substrate.
• Origin Stories for Manhattan: The Dutch “purchase” of Manhattan for "the value of 60 guilders," later mythologized as $24, is clarified as a trade of goods, not currency, and echoed in historical place names and the city’s layout.

Place Names and Urban Vocabulary

• Broadway: Originally a Native American footpath, widened by the Dutch (Brede weg), then anglicized. "Broadway appears... odd... it was originally the Native American footpath that meandered down the island." (59:42)
• Wall Street: From a Dutch-built wall marking city limits, now synonymous worldwide with finance.
• The Bowery, Brooklyn, Harlem, Bronx, Yonkers, Flushing, Staten Island: All retain names derived from Dutch origins, underscoring the lasting impact of early settlers.

Surnames and Social Legacy

• Van and Other Dutch Surnames: Names such as Vanderbilt, Roosevelt, and Van Buren are traced to early Dutch origins.
  • Remarkable Fact: "Martin Van Buren… was the only American president who didn't speak English as his first language. Believe it or not, he spoke Dutch." (1:14:08)
  • Dutch continued as a primary language in parts of New York and New Jersey well into the 19th and even 20th centuries.

Dutch Words in American and Global English

Common Loanwords:

• Boss ("derived from the Dutch word 'bas', meaning master"): Adopted to avoid the slavery-associated 'master'. (1:19:18)
• Cookie (from Dutch 'koekje', "little cake"): Now global, though especially American.
• Dope (originally "dipping sauce", later "narcotics") and dopey.
• Spook / Spooky, snoop, pit (fruit seed).
• Bedspread (possibly from Dutch 'bedtenspre').
• Bush (forest, overgrown area)—also spread to Australian English.
• Caboose (end car of train, from ship kitchen).
• Yankee (possibly from Dutch 'Janken')—initially derogatory, became a symbol of the North.
• Santa Claus (from 'Sinterklaas'): Dutch traditions merged with English Christmas culture, including the word 'sleigh'.
• Stoop (porch), waffle, cruller, coleslaw, knickerbocker ("the whole kit and caboodle"), hunky dory ("safe and sound", from Dutch 'honk').
• Local Place Terms (NY/NJ): clove (valley), hook (bend or point), kill (stream), gate (pass, as in 'Hell Gate'), dorp (village), vlee/flea (swamp).

Notable Quotes:

"It's remarkable that Dutch was persistent in the region and was widely spoken for more than two centuries after the colony passed to the English." (1:13:04)

"Given the longevity of the Dutch influence in New York and the overall influence of New York speech on American English... some of those words have also passed into general English usage as well." (1:18:16)

"Even today, New York City is considered to be the most linguistically diverse city in the world. So the more things change, the more they stay the same." (1:24:42)

Dutch Influence on English Idioms and Expressions

• Pejorative “Dutch” Expressions: As rivalry grew, English speakers formed disparaging “Dutch” idioms—double Dutch (gibberish), Dutch courage (alcohol-induced bravery), going Dutch (splitting the bill), and Dutch treat, the titular phrase. "So it's not really a treat at all. That illustrates how our language still reflects this old relationship and rivalry..." (1:30:24)

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• On the Role of Language in Survival:
  "There’s little doubt that their ability to communicate in the same language fostered the trust and cooperation that ensued." (26:59)
• On Urban Vocabulary:
  "That Dutch word was used to describe a row of such houses... and that gave us the word block." (1:00:25)
• On Surnames and Legacy:
  "Despite such humble beginnings, his great, great, great grandson, Cornelius Vanderbilt became the richest man in America in the 1800s." (1:11:03)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:08 – Episode Introduction and Structure
• 02:11 – The Thirty Years War and New Words ("maraud", "plunder", "run the gauntlet")
• 12:42 – Pilgrims’ Language Loss and the Decision to Leave the Netherlands
• 16:15 – Mayflower Compact and Survival at Plymouth
• 23:45 – Samoset, Squanto, and Communication with Indigenous Peoples
• 27:20 – The First Thanksgiving
• 30:46 – Emergence of Newspapers; Dutch 'courant'
• 33:52 – Tom Thumb and the First Printed English Fairy Tale
• 41:40 – Spoonerisms and English Playfulness
• 43:38 – 'Dictionary' as a Title, Shakespeare’s First Folio
• 51:47 – Dutch New Netherland and the Settlement of Manhattan
• 59:42 – Place Naming (Broadway to Wall Street)
• 1:07:25 – Dutch Surnames, Prominent Americans, and Lingering Dutch in NY/NJ
• 1:19:18 – Dutch Loanwords in Everyday English
• 1:30:24 – Dutch as Pejorative in English Idioms

Takeaways

• The spread of English to America was entangled with Dutch settlement, intertwining their cultural and linguistic trajectories.
• Many Americanisms and international English words trace directly to Dutch via 17th-century New Netherland.
• Place names, surnames, and even holiday traditions (Santa Claus) owe much to the brief but influential period of Dutch colonization.
• English idioms still echo historical antagonisms as seen in expressions like "Dutch treat," illuminating how language preserves history.
• Throughout, Stroud underscores how English, as a global language, reflects diverse influences—nowhere more so than in the melting pot of New York.

For Further Exploration:

• Stay tuned for future episodes covering the broader mass migration to New England (Massachusetts Bay Colony), ongoing English-Dutch maritime rivalry, and the maritime vocabulary that would transform English.