dutch phrases!

[mully]

where do these saying s all come from and why? 1 double dutch 2 going dutch 3dutch courage why ?

[flashpig]

According to the guys doing the Thames cruise Dutch Courage comes from Dutch traders who were the only ones to deliver stuff during the plague and they would get fabulously ****** beforehand. However, they also said that the word 'wharf' comes from WareHouse At River Front. I don't really trust the boatmen.

[Quizmonster]

In the early days of international trade, the Dutch and English were forever at each other's throats. As a result, the word 'Dutch' was frequently used in phrases where the people could be made fun of or belittled.

The idea behind 'double Dutch' was that just Dutch itself was hard enough to understand, so doubling it made it something utterly incomprehensible.

'Going Dutch' refers to a situation in which a man has invited a woman out on a date and then expects her to pay her half of any bill arising. In other words, the Dutch are mean and far from gentlemanly.

'Dutch courage' was bravery that you could only experience by first getting drunk...in other words, the Dutch are cowards.

[Cagey]

I'm not sure about double dutch and going dutch, but dutch courage is something to do with drinking Gin before going into battle on board old man-of-war ships. Due to the fact that gin was originally made by the dutch then drinking it gave you dutch courage.

[themuppet]

the phrase dutch courage refers to the plague in london... when all other sailors and vessels refused to travel into london with their goods..only the dutch were brave enough to travel into london via the sea during the great plague... and this is the reason given on tours along the thames boat trips..

DINO