I used to have a little pocket guide that listed common food items in English and then gave 5 different languages for the food items. Like Salt, Steak, bread, etc. it gave the words in Dutch, French, Spanish, German and Italian. Does anyone know where I might find a guide like this as I have searched every where and cannot find the one I had.

It was such a handy little book to slip into your pocket and since I only speak English, it would be very handy to have in the restaurants on Bonaire for the foods listed in Dutch or Spanish.

Suzanne

Never seen the like of what you speak, Susan, but I can heartily recommend the Marling Menu Master to decode menus, a thin little book you can slip in your pocket that lists food in the foreign language alphabetically. They come in Italian, French, Spanish, and German, no Dutch I'm afraid.

That is a great idea for the next issue of the Bonaire Dining Guide! We may be able to include it on the web site..

Michael,

It would be handiest if the online version had an option for printing it as a 'little pocket guide'. And probably handiest if it included Dutch food words found on Bonaire.

Are there any little pocket size English-Papiamento-English guides?

(Message edited by glenr on January 22, 2005)

Glen:

We don't know of any pocket Papiamento lexicons (and we've looked on Bonaire from time to time), but we always carry a pocket Dutch-English-Dutch dictionary with us for shopping at Cultimara (and, I suppose, elsewhere). It's a real help for figuring out some of the mysterious items on sale and, most importantly, what the ingredients are.

The dictionary we use is "Hippocrene Concise Dictionary", Hippocrene Books, NYC 1990. I'm sure there are others.

There are several Papiamentu-Dutch dictionaries, and there actually seems to be one Papiamentu-English dictionary, size unknown:

English/Papiamentu Dictionary
Papiamentu/Ingles Dikshonario, Betty Ratzlaff, ed.
Published by the TWR Dictionary Foundation, Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles, 1995, ISBN 99904-0-030-X

Amazon claims it's out of print, but has a used copy available for $95!

Cheers,

David

How about a web-based translator? Just carry your laptop and satellite dish, set it up on the restaurant table, and the menu is yours!......

http://papiamentu.donamaro.nl/index.php3?pAction=tradusi

Esaki ta masha fásil.

David

The Dictionary is still available in many shops on island and it is as lot less than $95. There is also a Papiameentu phrase book that is nearaing completion and should be ready before spring. The dining guide will sponsor a mini translator in the next edition (I am the editor!)

Michael, that sounds great! Can't wait to see/read it! See you soon. Carole

i bought the dictionary a few years ago and paid Nafl 50 (give or take a few guilders). that's about US $30. i think i got it at sand dollar grocery but i've seen it in other shops.

Great idea for the dining guide Michael!

I studied Dutch for a few weeks prior to our visit--not too difficult to pick up since I'm already fluent in German and speak a bit of Danish. When I travel I feel obliged to learn something of the local language, not only for my own benefit but as a sign of respect to the host country. But in Bonaire, English is everywhere--all the menus and most items in the grocery. If you can't read it, there's probably a picture. Even the ATMs give you the option of English, Dutch, or Papiamentu.