According to the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), the Dutch word “sluis” (which means a lock in a canal used for raising or lowering boats to a higher or lower part of the canal) is pronounced as /slœy?s/. In this author’s opinion, no phonetic representation can accurately capture the correct pronunciation of Sluis (and of so many other Dutch words.) The story goes that during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands in World War II, the Dutch would use the word Scheveningen as a shibboleth, a password, to identify German spies, imposters, and infiltrators in their midst. Moffen is a derogatory term for Germans, used especially during World War II and in its aftermath, stemming from an intense national resentment over the brutal Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. Next time you are having difficulties pronouncing Dutch words, remember you are not alone and, more importantly, such a problem may have saved lives during World War II.