A Dictionary of Dutchness

Aso

Aso is short for asociaal (anti-social) and can be attached to a lot of words to give them a whole new meaning. Thus an asobak (anti-social car) is the term used for a sport utility vehicle (SUV) which is way too big for narrow Dutch city streets. Asodorp, which translates as ‘village for the anti- social’, is the nickname given to a move by Amsterdam city council to control a group of highly disruptive tenants by housing them in refurbished containers surrounded by a high wall.