this post was submitted on 22 Sep 2025
224 points (100.0% liked)
Europe
7371 readers
1741 users here now
News and information from Europe πͺπΊ
(Current banner: La Mancha, Spain. Feel free to post submissions for banner images.)
Rules (2024-08-30)
- This is an English-language community. Comments should be in English. Posts can link to non-English news sources when providing a full-text translation in the post description. Automated translations are fine, as long as they don't overly distort the content.
- No links to misinformation or commercial advertising. When you post outdated/historic articles, add the year of publication to the post title. Infographics must include a source and a year of creation; if possible, also provide a link to the source.
- Be kind to each other, and argue in good faith. Don't post direct insults nor disrespectful and condescending comments. Don't troll nor incite hatred. Don't look for novel argumentation strategies at Wikipedia's List of fallacies.
- No bigotry, sexism, racism, antisemitism, islamophobia, dehumanization of minorities, or glorification of National Socialism. We follow German law; don't question the statehood of Israel.
- Be the signal, not the noise: Strive to post insightful comments. Add "/s" when you're being sarcastic (and don't use it to break rule no. 3).
- If you link to paywalled information, please provide also a link to a freely available archived version. Alternatively, try to find a different source.
- Light-hearted content, memes, and posts about your European everyday belong in other communities.
- Don't evade bans. If we notice ban evasion, that will result in a permanent ban for all the accounts we can associate with you.
- No posts linking to speculative reporting about ongoing events with unclear backgrounds. Please wait at least 12 hours. (E.g., do not post breathless reporting on an ongoing terror attack.)
- Always provide context with posts: Don't post uncontextualized images or videos, and don't start discussions without giving some context first.
(This list may get expanded as necessary.)
Posts that link to the following sources will be removed
- on any topic: Al Mayadeen, brusselssignal:eu, citjourno:com, europesays:com, Breitbart, Daily Caller, Fox, GB News, geo-trends:eu, news-pravda:com, OAN, RT, sociable:co, any AI slop sites (when in doubt please look for a credible imprint/about page), change:org (for privacy reasons)
- on Middle-East topics: Al Jazeera
- on Hungary: Euronews
Unless they're the only sources, please also avoid The Sun, Daily Mail, any "thinktank" type organization, and non-Lemmy social media. Don't link to Twitter directly, instead use xcancel.com. For Reddit, use old:reddit:com
(Lists may get expanded as necessary.)
Ban lengths, etc.
We will use some leeway to decide whether to remove a comment.
If need be, there are also bans: 3 days for lighter offenses, 7 or 14 days for bigger offenses, and permanent bans for people who don't show any willingness to participate productively. If we think the ban reason is obvious, we may not specifically write to you.
If you want to protest a removal or ban, feel free to write privately to the primary mod account @EuroMod@feddit.org
founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
I don't know but for some reason the Indonesians are afraid of it
drunk Germans speak Dutch better
But the very drunk ones, they speak double dutch.
I would love to see a followup with people having a stroke. I feel like that could really boost the Dutch speaking skills.
Better yet, at what level of brain damage does the improved ability to speak Dutch plateau? Can we get a perfect linguist before they become a vegetable?
I donβt think this is quite unheard of. I can speak Spanish (my second language) a lot more smoothly after a few beers.
Itβs not necessarily that it improves your speaking, it inhibits self-doubt and perfectionism that usually comes with speaking another language.
The Ig Nobel Prize is a satirical prize awarded annually since 1991 to promote public engagement with scientific research. Its aim is to "honor achievements that first make people laugh, and then make them think." The name of the award is a pun on the Nobel Prize, which it parodies, and on the word "ignoble".
So they speak dutch well most of the time then?
Here is the paper: Dutch courage? Effects of acute alcohol consumption on self-ratings and observer ratings of foreign language skills (sci-hub pdf link).
It was published in 2017 but only won the Ig Nobel prize this year.
Abstract
Aims: A popular belief is that alcohol improves the ability to speak in a foreign language. The effect of acute alcohol consumption on perceived foreign
language performance and actual foreign language performance in foreign language learners has not been investigated. The aim of the current study
was to test the effects of acute alcohol consumption on self-rated and observer-rated verbal foreign language performance in participants who have
recently learned this language.
Methods: Fifty native German speakers who had recently learned Dutch were randomized to receive either a low dose of alcohol or a control beverage that contained no alcohol. Following the experimental manipulation, participants took part in a standardized discussion in Dutch with a blinded experimenter. The discussion was audio-recorded and foreign language skills were subsequently rated by two native Dutch speakers who were blind to the experimental condition (observer-rating). Participants also rated their own individual Dutch language skills during the discussion (self-rating).
Results: Participants who consumed alcohol had significantly better observer-ratings for their Dutch language, specifically better pronunciation, compared with those who did not consume alcohol. However, alcohol had no effect on self-ratings of Dutch language skills.
Conclusions: Acute alcohol consumption may have beneficial effects on the pronunciation of a foreign language in people who have recently learned that language.
Now do a follow up study on the Dutch
It's pretty common for people speaking a language which is not their native tongue to speak it more fluidly when they have had some alcohol.
This is the same for Swedes speaking Danish
I was told Danish is Norwegian with a hot potato in your mouth.
Anyhow, it's cool that these three languages are sortof compatible, participants willing.
Anyone that speaks english can just pound a flask to speak dutch
Well, "drunk" meaning you had a glass of some alcohol. But I get it, the title is for the lulz.
Interesting; I am a better table tennis player after 1 drink, but no more than that
Try a few variations of the drinks that your opponent has.
That's the best part of being drunk or high ...
You THINK you are a better table tennis player ... you think you are better at everything.
Never heard any German say Grachten properly (incl. myself), sober or drunk.
However, people of Cologne drink & speak KΓΆlsch and that apparently works well with Dutch.