02:40 Jan 23 

Thanks so much for all the very helpful suggestions! I think in this case, and given the historical context, I'm going to go with Barend's suggestion and add a note on 'baaldag' (like in Lianne's note). I really appreciate everyone's help - thank you so much!

22:02 Jan 22 

it suddenly hit me that 'baaldag' is also something people say to say they are not up to scratch, they don't need to be off work for it to be a baaldag, you can also have one at work. At any rate, an off day you can have or you can take in this case, which pretty much equals the baaldag, je kan hem nemen en je kan hem hebben.
But indeed I would also put a small note.

21:08 Jan 22 

for not shutting up after all ;-))

21:08 Jan 22 

wouldn't it be best to use Barend's option and add a translator's note?
I must admit I don't like either of the suggestions including 'mental' and I can't come up with anything better than 'low-spirits day' myself...

16:33 Jan 22 

The way you describe this phenomenon of 'baaldag' is how I have understood it as well. This is why I wrote:

I believe this 'baaldag' was meant for taking a day off when you DID NOT FEEL LIKE WORKING for SOME reason, because you 'baalde', that is, because you 'WERE FED UP WITH' something

everyone has their off-days ...

I arrived at: 'free off-day day/ off-day day off' :-)

Wij willen ook een Officiële Baaldag zoals in Nederland

In Nederland bestaat er een Officiële Baaldag. Als je zo'n dag hebt kan je je ziek melden van je werk.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=267692403936

13:19 Jan 22 

I thought this word was never used in Flemish, but behold... The way it is used, and how it was introduced to us as an exotic Dutch thing in school ;), was that it was a day where you didn't feel right and did not want to go to work, but were not actually physically ill. Let's say you didn't sleep well or had a bout of food poisoning or something. It has cleared up but you feel rough. The doctor can't actually do anything apart from saying, 'Yes, indeed, you were ill last night, weren't you. Well, as you have only shown up today at the end of the day because you couldn't get out of your sofa, I'll hand you a sick note.' (pulls up eyebrows) In Belgium it used to be compulsory to go to the doctor even for one day off work. I believe, to cut down on doctors' charges, they've now converted that into the first day off is OK, but for the next you have to hand in a sick note. So I would also call it an off day like Barend.

18:18 Jan 21 

Thank you for your entry, Angora. Interesting.

The problem with your suggestion is the addition 'monthly' and that it's specific to South Africa.
It means something over there but not necessarily in the Dutch language area, I guess, or in the UK.
It also doesn't linguistically account for the 'baal' factor.

18:08 Jan 21 

Hallo, I am new to this site but the way I would translate that is by using "the monthly leisure day". It has been an old practice in South Africa for use by women during their monthly cycle (and misused if I might add) It is also accepted as the day workers have to go to the monthly clinic for medicines or to go to the banks. Nowadays it is simply called "all-Pay" day here although that would not be useful in your translation.

17:34 Jan 21 

Thanks so much everyone for the helpful answers! Yes indeed, I guess the challenge is to find a term which covers both the reason behind taking a day off and the fact that this was something which was apparently explicitly provided for in the miners' working conditions. Perhaps I could use 'mental health day' with a footnote for explanation? I appreciate all the advice!

17:29 Jan 21 

I just noticed that your text reads 'verworven vrije baaldag' - so it is indeed an official day off... Sorry - it's been some time since I was employed in the Netherlands... I'll just shut up ;-)

17:25 Jan 21 

Hm... like Barend I associate a 'baaldag' with a 'bad hair day', whereas imho snipperdagen may be taken regardless of one's mood, e.g. for celebrations etc.
Imho 'baaldagen' more often result in pulling a sicky than snipperdagen, which are deducted from your official days off.

17:21 Jan 21 

that's probably right, 'no questions asked', but there is clear difference between a 'snipperdag' and a 'baaldag' even if this 'baaldag' would be used as a 'snipperdag'

you can't just translate as a 'day off'

it doesn't account for the historical context

but Frank's suggestion might fit the bill because of similarity

17:20 Jan 21 

"baaldag" is fairly explicit (and in my opinion somewhat negative), but, just like "mental health day" (explicitly considerate of your mental health), it implicitly gives one permission to take the day, for whatever reason. That's the interpretation at my daughter's school board, and in the Urban Dictionary (and others).

17:15 Jan 21 

I agree with Lianne, it is like a 'snipperdag', an optional day off with no questions asked.

16:50 Jan 21 

I don't agree with the 'for any reason' part

I believe this 'baaldag' was meant for taking a day off when you DID NOT FEEL LIKE WORKING for SOME reason, because you 'baalde', that is, because you 'WERE FED UP WITH' something

everyone has their off-days ...

I missed the example sentence for that matter and you can't just translate it as 'off-day', it would require something like 'do away with the 'free off-day day/ off-day day off' :-)

16:38 Jan 21 

Your interpretation is correct, Helen. It refers to the implicit or explicit right to take a day off "for any reason", also called "snipperdag"
http://www.etymologiebank.nl/trefwoord/balen