Why speakers of Dutch hate exclamation marks
Did you know that the number of exclamation marks in Dutch translations is much lower than in the English source?
Too many sentences ending in exclamation marks? It sounds like shouting to us!
And it is not only about the exclamation marks themselves. That is really only a sign of a deeper-lying issue that is the result of differences between our cultures.
Many of our source texts come from the US, where marketing is often based on hype: “Discover the secret!” “Be the first to know!” “We’re thrilled to have you here!”
Again, it sounds like shouting to us. And over-excitedness. Like screaming kids on the school playground on the first spring day.
Tone it down a little, will you?
The Dutch have a popular saying: “Doe maar normaal, dan doe je al gek genoeg.” – which is “Just behave normally, that is crazy enough.” It is a perfect rendering of the Dutch and Flemish mentality. We avoid eccentric behaviour, and similarly we do not like overstatements.
So when professional translators translate or localize English source materials into Dutch, one of our standard operating procedures is indeed to “tone it down a little”. So firstly, we use periods instead of exclamation marks. And secondly, we replace hyperboles and superlatives by what we consider more sensible word choices.
Indeed, “breathtaking” could very well just become the Dutch equivalent of “beautiful”, even if your marketing team debated a long time before deciding on this particular term. Because you must admit you did not really stop breathing, did you, when you saw the design of your new product, even though it is quite nice to look at. That is the down-to-earth reasoning of the Dutch.
Sorry, marketing team…
Is your marketing team disappointed the Dutch localization does not use the colourful terminology you were so enthusiastic about? Don’t be. Literal translations of marketing copy that was originally written in English just do not convert. You would be ignored, or worse, you might just become a laughing stock if the copy were translated literally. Always remember culture is more important than a 1:1 translation when it comes to marketing. Always speak to your customer in their own language.
I’d be happy to guide you if you need help localizing your materials for the Dutch-speaking region!