>>>>Persons of equal rank will use 'verzoeken', so 'request'. A person lower in rank will use the phrase 'vriendelijk verzoeken', that is 'kindly request'. Also cultural difference?
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>>>This all sounds like a rigid linguistic structure, bit like the Sie-du, vous-tu, rules in German and French. English does not have regard to rank. Besides, the person you were "requesting" from is not of a lower rank than you.
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>>Seems to be we've gone full circle. "verzoeken" sounds like, literally, "look for" to me, which would then better be translated with "ask for", whereas "request" does sound a bit too strong in English. Though, I got no actual knowledge on this, just the feel and intuition :).
>
>'Verzoeken' is linked to the German 'Versuchen' (or 'Ersuchen').

Ssssshhh - don't tell my secrets in public - I almost tricked a few people that I know bits of Dutch :).