Cloggies and Flemmies,
I’m looking at apartment listings and in addition to telefoon, ISDN, and ADSL there are a couple of things I don’t know: what is “parlofoon” and what is “telenet”?
Thanks.
Paging Coldfire.
Heh. There’s a number of them out there. . . and while we are answering dopey questions: what’s a “zitbad”? Is it a bidet? Or is it something else that my mind can’t grasp?
Cloggy checking in.
parlofoon - most likely a system by which you can talk to visitors at the door (downstairs) before letting them in.
telenet - most likely internet via the cable of the TV
(maybe Dutchmen living in an appartment can confirm)
zitbad - easy. A small bathtub, in which you can sit, but not lie down.
Neither parlofoon nor telenet is common ‘Hollands’ Dutch (spoken in The Netherlands). But then, IIRC you were going to Belgium, where they speak Flemish Dutch (has slightly different idiom).
I did a quick check with Google, which confirmed Dragon Phoenix’s suggestions:
- parlofoon is indeed an intercom system example link
- telenet looks like a specific telephone company that also offers ‘breedband’ (fast internet) services. link
Ah, great, thanks, guys. Yeah, Tusculan, Ghent.
Flemish is turning out to have lots of little differences, yes.
AH! Another question, please. . .
What does “duplex” mean there, in terms of studios/ apartments? In the states it’s a building consisting of two full apartments put side by side, but functioning seperately. Is a duplex in Europe a two-room apartment, or something like a “suite”, or what?
Or. . . wait. . is it on two levels? What on earth would a “duplex-studio” be? Would it have like a bedroom loft/level above a kitchenette/living area, sharing some airspace?
I’m so confused.
[hijack]I love the Netherlands language! I was doing a med literature search on epididimitis (painful inflammation of the testicle) and I discovered a Netherlands site discussing the disease, which they call pijn in de balzak! [/hijack]
I’m not really used to hear the word ‘duplex’ for describing a house or apartment. The Van Dale dictionary describes duplex as a house/apartment that is designed for one family, but has been modified to (temporarily) accomodate two families. It looks like that would be similar to U.S. usage.
A two-room apartment is normally called just that, ‘tweekamerappartement’ or ‘twee kamers en suite’.
A two-level-apartment in a ‘flat’ (high-rise building) would be a … Well, I forgot, even though I used to live in one. 
If it’s the top two floors of a city house, it’s often refered to as a ‘bovenhuis’.
A studio is a single room apartment (not counting kitchen/bathroom, though these might be in that one room as well).
Is this any help?
Well, Qadgop, I happen to love the Dutch language, but you go ahead. 
I assume you’re also familiar with the Dutch name for glandular disease?
Commonly called a “sitz bath” in English, a modification of the German Sitzbad, which is obviously closely related to the Dutch word. Sometimes called “hip-bath” or “sitting bath” in English.
[edited for clarity]