(Neder)brackets

The Dutch have a particular way of (ab)using brackets. I try to make sense of some of the worst offenders in my (Neder)brackets collection.

Incidentally, the best explanation of this issue I have ever come across is in ‘Righting English that’s gone Dutch’, by Joy Burrough-Boenisch (in the chapter, ‘Bracket (ab)use’).

‘Packed’	‘Unpacked’ (Dutch style)	‘Unpacked’ (English style)
(aanvullende) vergoeding	fee or additional fee; charges or additional charges; remuneration or additional remuneration
(af)leverdatum	???	delivery date; date of delivery
(lever)termijn	period and/or delivery period?, delivery period and/or deadline?	delivery period
(bank)administratie	bank records or other records	bank records
(bedrijfs)standaarden	corporate and other standards	corporate standards
(bepaalde) bezoekers	all or specific visitors	specific visitors
(bij)bestellen	order and/or reorder	reorder
(bij)gebouwen	outbuildings and other buildings
(bij)scholing	training or further training	further training
(bio)brandstoffen	fuels and/or biofuels	biofuels
(blinde) geleidehonden	guide dogs
(bouwkundige) kosten	construction costs and/or other costs
(brom)fietsers	bicycles and motorcycles; bicycles and/or motorcycles
(co-) financieren; (co-) financiering	financing and co-financing
(controle)proces	audit process or other processes (???)
(controle)teamleden (controle)teamlid	audit team members and other team members (???)
(deel)betaling	payment (or partial payment)
(deel)onderwerp	topic and/or sub topic
(deel)product	products and/or subproducts
(deel)projecten	– projects and/or partial projects – project and/or subproject	– subproject – constituent project
(digitaal) personeelsdossier	– personnel file (digital or otherwise) – digital or paper personnel file – digital or hardcopy personnel file	digital personnel file
(dreigende) terroristische handelingen	terrorist acts, or threat of terrorist acts
(druk)fouten	printing or other errors	printing errors
(een deel van) het totale beschikbare bedrag	all or part of the total available amount
(lokale) regelgeving	regulations (local or otherwise)	local regulations
(electro) technische	technical or electrical
(financiële) gegevens	financial information and other data
(fiscale) wetgeving	tax and other forms of legislation
(her)configureerbaar	configurable or reconfigurable
(her)configureren	configure or reconfigure
(her)configureren	configure or re-configure
(huis) dieren	animals or pets; animals and/or pets
(huur)auto's	cars and/or rental cars
(indirecte) aandeelhouders	direct and/or indirect shareholders
instel(wens)waarde	desired setpoint value
(inter)nationale	national and international
(kantoor)interieur	home or office interior
(kern)waarden	just "core values", something else, like "values (core and otherwise)"?
(kinder)porno	pornography and/or child pornography
(kleuren)inkten	black and colour inks
(kunst)geschiedenis	history of art or history; history or art history
(laser)lassen	welding and/or laser welding
(na)bloeiend	???
(mogelijk) probleem	– potential or actual problem – problem or potential problem	potential problem
(natuur)geweld	natural disasters or violence
(non)verbale communicatie	verbal and nonverbal communication
(nood)uitgang	Exit or emergency exit
(on)belangrijk	– important and/or unimportant – important, unimportant, or both
(on)rechtstreeks	either directly or indirectly
(on)veiligheidsgevoel	sense of security or insecurity
(open) vraag	question (open-ended or otherwise)
(overheids)bevel	government order, or order by another body
(petro)chemische industrie	chemical and petrochemical industries
(potentiële) (interne) klant	internal or external customer (potential or otherwise)
(pre)contractuele relatie	contractual or pre-contractual relationship
(rechts)personen	legal or natural persons
(rechts)persoon	natural or legal person
(roer)bakken	frying and/or stir-frying; frying and/or stir-frying
(service)kosten	costs, service-related and otherwise
(tijdige) annulering	cancellation, within the specified time or otherwise
(toegang tot) effectieve zorg	effective care and its access; effective care and access to effective care
(toekomstige) bewoners	present and/or future residents
(verdere) dienstverlening	services (or further services)
(verpleeg-)adres	address or address where the employee is being treated
(zaken-) partner	partner (whether business partner or otherwise)
(zonne)brillen	glasses or sunglasses
aanstelling(-skeuring)	appointment or pre-employment medical examination
arbeids(on)geschikt	fit or unfit for work
bij (volledig) bewustzijn	either partially or fully conscious
breed (her)inzetbaar	versatile and reusable
Indien u werkzaam bent in een (semi-)ambulante functie	If your job requires you to travel
medewerk(st)er	– male and/or female employee – employee – staff (plural and singular)
nabestaande (partner)	surviving relative or partner
partij(en)	party and/or parties
prijs(wijzigingen)	prices and price changes