indianenverhaal

Dutch

Alternative forms

• Indianenverhaal (superseded)

Etymology

Compound of indiaan (“native American, Indian”) +‎ -en- +‎ verhaal (“story”). The fact that during the twentieth century many published stories about Native Americans were pulp fiction may have led to the meaning “urban legend”.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɪn.diˈaː.nə(n).vɛrˌɦaːl/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: in‧di‧a‧nen‧ver‧haal

Noun

indianenverhaal n (plural indianenverhalen)

1. A wild, untrue story, an urban myth. [from mid-late 20th c.]

   De ultranationalisten verspreidden het gerucht dat de prinses misbruikt was door de Engelsen, maar dat was maar een indianenverhaal.

   The ultranationalists spread the rumour that the princess has been abused by the English, but that was nothing but an urban legend.

2. A story about Amerind people. [from early 20th c.]

   Die jongens zijn gek op indianenverhalen.

   Those boys are mad about stories about Native Americans.