Netherlands Don't say cheese: Amsterdam turns against English usage in shops Appeal court upholds closure order against cheese shop as use of English implies it is for tourists not locals Amsterdam last year launched an initiative to curb the number of shops targeting tourists in its historic centre in its latest attempt to reclaim it for residents. Photograph: ClickAlps/Getty Images/AWL Images RMTheir country’s grip of the English language has long been a source of national pride for the Dutch. In a court case involving the Amsterdam Cheese company – which has a store on Damrak avenue, a partially filled in canal in the centre – the dominant use of English has been highlighted as a problem. The Amsterdam Cheese company is set to appeal to a higher court, with the support of its suppliers. The chairman of the Dutch National Union of Students, Tariq Sewbaransingh, said: “Except in Utrecht, all psychology studies are in English.

Source: The Guardian January 26, 2018 12:28 UTC