double dutch
mediuminformal
Definition
Meaning
Incomprehensible speech or writing; nonsense; gibberish.
The phrase primarily signifies language that is impossible or very difficult to understand. It can refer to literal nonsense, but also to complex jargon, rapid or muffled speech, or even to the unrelated children's skipping game played with two ropes.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often used as a predicate noun after verbs like 'speak', 'talk', 'be', or 'sound like'. Conveys frustration or bewilderment at the listener's inability to comprehend.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The core idiomatic meaning is identical in both varieties. The children's skipping game is more widely known by this name in British English; in American English, 'double dutch' (game) is also known but the idiomatic usage is primary.
Connotations
Generally negative or dismissive when referring to speech. Neutral when referring to the skipping game.
Frequency
The idiom is common in both BrE and AmE. Reference to the skipping game is significantly more frequent in BrE.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
It's/That's double dutch to me.He was talking double dutch.Without the key, the document was double dutch.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It's all double dutch to me.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. May be used informally to dismiss complex financial or legal jargon.
Academic
Very rare, as it is a colloquial dismissal. More formal alternatives like 'obfuscatory' or 'opaque' are preferred.
Everyday
Common. Used to express that something (instructions, technical talk, a foreign language) cannot be understood.
Technical
The term itself is not technical, but may be used to describe technical documentation that is poorly written for a general audience.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He was doubling dutching on about quantum physics and I just nodded.
adjective
British English
- The lawyer's double-dutch explanation left us more confused.
- It was a double dutch instruction manual.
American English
- The contract's clauses were pure double dutch to anyone outside the industry.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I don't understand this. It's double dutch to me.
- The computer manual was written in double dutch, so I asked for help.
- Without a background in law, the statute might as well be written in double dutch.
- The lecturer, hurried and mumbling, might as well have been speaking in double dutch for all the sense he made.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a Dutch person speaking very fast, and then another one joins in, doubling the speed. To a non-Dutch speaker, it would sound like rapid, incomprehensible 'double Dutch'.
Conceptual Metaphor
INCOMPREHENSIBLE LANGUAGE IS A FOREIGN TONGUE (specifically Dutch, due to historical Anglo-Dutch rivalry).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid a literal translation like 'двойной голландский'. The Russian equivalent idiom is 'китайская грамота' (Chinese writing/grammar).
- Do not confuse with 'double-check' or other 'double' compounds.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'double Dutch' to mean 'very clear' (the opposite of its meaning).
- Misspelling as 'double-dutch' (the hyphenated form is less common for the idiom).
- Using it in formal writing where 'incomprehensible' or 'opaque' would be better.
Practice
Quiz
What does the idiom 'double dutch' primarily express?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The etymology is linked to the historical English perception of the Dutch language as harsh and incomprehensible. 'Double' intensifies the sense of foreignness and unintelligibility.
While rooted in a historical stereotype, its modern use is generally not considered offensive towards Dutch people, as it is a fixed idiom. Caution is advised, however, as it can be perceived as dismissive of the content being described.
They are near synonyms. 'Gibberish' often implies meaningless sounds, while 'double dutch' can imply that the language *would* be meaningful to an expert, but is impenetrable to the listener (like complex jargon).
Yes, it is also the name of a children's skipping game using two ropes swung in opposite directions. The context always makes the meaning clear.