# Het is "not done" om nu te reageren



## CarlitosMS

Hello

I would like to know what does the anglicism "not done" mean in Dutch.

Greetings

Carlos


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## Frank06

Hi Carlos,

My guess would be "ongepast", inappropriate, even though I'd prefer more context.

Groetjes,

Frank


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## Kabouterke

Well, it could depend because "not done" could be used in a number of ordinary ways, such as "It has not been done before."

However, going off what Frank06 said, I can remember circumstances when it has been used like onaanvaardbaar/onbeleefd/ongepast

"Dat doe je niet bij mensen"  

...moeilijk uit te leggen.


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## Lopes

Well yeah, something that isn't not allowed by rules but that goes against etiquette. For example in football, when team A plays the ball out so a team B player can receive injury treatment, then it would be 'not done' for team B not to give the ball back to team A. 


It wouldn't be used in the way of 'it has not been done before', using English words for that would be a bit strange.


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## Kabouterke

Your example is also right, Lopes.  However, that is a more literal interpretation of the phrase "not done" (niet gedaan) and what I think CarlitosMS was asking is what it means if it is used in a more figurative sense (dat doet men hier niet).

Growing up, I have heard this phrase used in the following situation: Think of old, rich, proper old women at high tea.  A guest has just told a very lewd sex joke and the host doesn't think very highly of it.  She pulls her friend aside in private and says, "Julia.  That is _not done_ here.  Do not say such things."

In this figurative sense it, shows it is not acceptable and so inappropriate that it is hard to imagine that it ever *could* be done.

That's the best example I can give. Ik hoop dat je er iets aan hebt.


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## Lopes

But Kabouterke, your example to me seems a strange occasion to use the English term..


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## Kabouterke

What can I say?  Growing up in the US I sometimes heard this phrase used in such a way. At first glance it is indeed slightly unusual, but that's the beauty of language, hé?


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## Lopes

Hmm, I might have misinterpreted the question, I thought he wanted to know what it means when we use the English words 'not done' in Dutch, not the translation in Dutch of those words..


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## killerbees

Kabouterke said:


> Your example is also right, Lopes.  However,  that is a more literal interpretation of the phrase "not done" (niet  gedaan) and what I think CarlitosMS was asking is what it means if it is  used in a more figurative sense (dat doet men hier niet).



Despite the difference in context, I think that you and Lopes are using "not done" in the same way. My understanding here (based on Lopes' response) is that "not done" would not be used in your example if that situation arose in a Dutch-speaking environment ("Het is hier not done om zo'n grap te maken").


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## Chimel

killerbees said:


> Despite the difference in context, I think that you and Lopes are using "not done" in the same way.


I totally agree: the meaning in both cases (football and sex joke) is "inappropriate".


> My understanding here (based on Lopes' response) is that "not done" would not be used in your example if that situation arose in a Dutch-speaking environment ("Het is hier not done om zo'n grap te maken").


Why? My feeling is that _not done _is generally used alone, without any complement ("It's not done" or even just "Not done!"), perhaps that's why this sentence sounds a little weird, with this mixture of English and Dutch ("not done om... te"). But I cannot see why a Dutch-speaking person coulnd't just say "Not done" about an inappropriate sex joke too.


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## Lopes

killerbees said:


> Despite the difference in context, I think that you and Lopes are using "not done" in the same way. My understanding here (based on Lopes' response) is that "not done" would not be used in your example if that situation arose in a Dutch-speaking environment ("Het is hier not done om zo'n grap te maken").



Yes, this is what I meant.


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