Dutch

Dutch is a West Germanic language and the mother tongue of most residents of Netherlands , Belgium and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union , an international organization that includes the rules for Standard Dutch capture. In the European Union about 23 million people speak Dutch as their first language, and an additional five million as a second language. Furthermore, Dutch is also an official language of the Caribbean islands of Aruba , Curaçao and Sint Maarten, while minorities still exist in France , Germany and to a lesser extent Indonesia , and more than half a million speakers in the United States , Canada andAustralia . The Cape Dutch dialects of South Africa and Namibia were standardized to Afrikaans, a daughter language of Dutch.

Content

 * 1 Character
 * 2 Origins
 * 3 Classification
 * 3.1 Schedule
 * 3.2 Closely related languages
 * 4 Speakers
 * 4.1 Official status and recognitions
 * 5 Features
 * 5.1 phonetics / phonology
 * 5.2 Dutch compared with other Germanic languages
 * 5.3 Grammar
 * 5.4 Word Order
 * 5.5 Verbs
 * 5.6 Vocabulary
 * 5.7 Grammar and morphology
 * 5.8 Spelling
 * 6 Geographical distribution
 * 6.1 Netherlands, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba
 * 6.2 Belgium
 * 6.3 Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten
 * 6.4 Suriname
 * 6.5 France
 * 6.6 Germany
 * 6.7 Indonesia
 * 6.8 Canada
 * 6.9 United States
 * 6:10 New Zealand
 * 6:11 Australia
 * 6:12 Congo
 * 7 varieties of Dutch
 * 7.1 Dutch dialects
 * 7.1.1 Comparison with Standard Dutch dialects
 * 7.2 Periphery of Dutch
 * 7.3 Afrikaans
 * 7.4 Creole Languages
 * 7.5 Internal creool- and contact languages ​​and sociolects
 * 8 History of Dutch
 * 8.1 Origin
 * 8.2 The oldest Dutch
 * 9 Dutch literature
 * 10 Recognition
 * 10.1 Language Union
 * 10.2 Language Monument
 * 10.3 Dutch in South Africa
 * 11 Glossaries
 * 12 See also
 * 12.1 Related topics
 * 13 External links

Character [ edit ]
Dutch is closely related to the English and German, and is placed between the two. Besides the fact that Dutch the High German sound shift has not undergone differs Dutch - like English - furthermore from German by the strong reduction of the name include the general rarity of the Germanic umlaut and a more regular morphology . The modern Dutch origin has three grammatical genders, two of which are in practice largely coincide (the -woorden). Consequently, the grammatical gender plays a smaller role than grammatical in German. The Dutch word order is subject-verb-direct object ( SVO ) in main clauses but it fits, as in German,inversion to in clauses ( SOV ). Dutch has a mainly Germanic vocabulary, to a greater extent than the highly Romanized English, but complemented by a larger Romanesque component than in German.

Origins [ edit ]
The separation between the continental and coastal variants of the West Germanic ran before the 5th century through what is now the Netherlands and northwest Germany called. The coastal language (in the scientific literature Ingvaeoons called) spread on the basis of sound shifts Ingveoonse diminishingly in southeastern direction. The Frisian and Saxon dialects on the mainland been most influenced them. To a lesser extent, the West Flemish and Dutch Ingveoonse characteristics dialects that have been the basis of Standard Dutch. Possibly, the Ingveoonse characteristics of a Dutch Frisian substrate.

In England, the Anglo-Saxon after the Norman invasion (1066) strongly Romanized. Only in the Frisian coastal language remained preserved on the continent. By successive High German sound shifts developed between the 4th and the 9th century in the continental West Germanic a rift between the so-called Low Franconian and Low Saxon on the one side and the Central German and Upper German on the other side. The Lower Franconian would eventually become the basis of what is now Dutch, while the German based primarily on the Upper German. [1] The language division also deepened not only geographically but moved to the north.

Only in the 16th century began the many regional languages ​​in the areas where it is spoken Dutch to their development as a default. Until then, each region had its own written form (s) and it weeks in the southeast (Limburg) and northeast (from Groningen to Achterhoek ) most on. They were related to the languages ​​of the Hanseatic region and Munsterland respectively. the Lower Rhine area and would later hardly participate in the formation of a general standard Dutch. The economic and administrative center of gravity in Flanders and Brabant, with nearly half the population of the Netherlands, was also reflected in the dominance of the written versions of those regions. The Holland-Utrecht variant was also a close second. These written languages ​​were academically because they mainly on the chanceries of monarchs, monasteries and cities and hardly used by the illiterate population.

Around 1500 there was an attempt underway to develop a common written language that could be used in wider areas by various regional elements to unite. That was also a need from the centralization of the administration under the Duke of Burgundy shelf that his authority from Brussels wanted to expand across the Netherlands, an endeavor in which Emperor Charles V eventually would succeed. In the Reformation period was mainly the Bibles and religious tracts to the dissemination was intended, and which therefore purposely were given a general written language. For now was it attempts which each author's own dialect gave the most weight. The ascription of the 'general' writing in this work is interesting because "Dutch" here is an exception. One finds' Plat duytsch "(1524)," Brabants "(1526 and 1546)," Nederlantsch duytsch "(1558) marked as Bible Language and principal, the KJV of 1637, then called the first 'Netherland'. But for secular work, the name 'Nederduytsch "or even simply" Duytsch' and, surprisingly, the language properly in grammar and speech and spelling books for education until the 19th century, Low German, Dutch and not called. The spoken language of the upper classes only began to gradually conform to this standard, at least in the northern Netherlands and the first in Holland . This separation in development between Dutch in the Netherlands found wherever one went to speak the standard language, and Flanders, where the upper classes at the French passed. The spoken language of the lower classes remained a regional or urban variant until the population under the compulsory Dutch as a written language was taught and after a few generations could also go speak language. How slow this process was illustrated by the illiteracy figures also indications for school attendance, which include around 1800 in the northern Netherlands and a third in Flanders two thirds of the adult population expired. To make the written Dutch language to everyday language had, with the school as a base, expansion emergence of language functions. A decisive role played therein nationally organized mass media and the supra-regional communication due to a rapidly increasing population mobility.

Classification [ edit ]
Dutch is one of the four main forms of the West Germanic . It is closely related to German, but is also very similar to the English . Together with the Lower Saxon , Low German and High German belongs to the so-called continental West Germanic branch of the Indo-European languages ​​. Within this branch Dutch belong together including English and German to the large West Germanic language group, but is in there in some speakers medium.

Schedule [ edit ]

 * Indo-European
 * Germanic
 * West Germanic
 * Low Franconian
 * Dutch
 * (Afrikaans, Dutch-based creole languages)

Closely related languages ​​[ edit ]
Language Forms that are closely related to Standard Dutch are the Flemish , Limburg , Zeeland , Afrikaans , Low Saxon , Low German and German . The first three are not considered by most linguists as separate (regional) languages ​​but as seen variants of Dutch.

The affinity of language forms and the Anglo-Frisian languages ​​- of which the English and Frisian are the main members - is now less strong, but the Old English and Old Dutch, the forerunners of Dutch and English, compared with each other, then it is just a see stronger relationship than between Old Dutch and Oudduits as Dutch as English has some Ingveoonse features and both languages ​​besides hardly have been under the influence of the second Germanic sound shift . English is in the later stages of the language changed radically under the influence of Danish and French, and is therefore also of Dutch come to donate. A large part of an identical vocabulary have English and Dutch, however, common.

Speakers [ edit ]
In Europe, the three largest Germanic languages ​​German (95 million), English (63 million) and Dutch (23 million). Dutch is spoken by more people than the North Germanic (Scandinavian) languages ​​together:Swedish (10 million), Norwegian (5 million), Danish (5 million) and Iceland (0.3 million). Then there are the African (6.5 million) and the small West Germanic languages ​​such as Frisian (0.4 million) and Yiddish (4 million).

Official status and recognition [ edit ]
Dutch was in 1612 the first "official" recognition in the grammar of Jacob van der Schuere. [2] In the Netherlands, in addition to Dutch is also the Frisian recognized; in Belgium there are three official languages, namely Dutch, French and German . In Flanders Dutch is the only official language, and in the Brussels-Capital Region, the language share this status with French. Dutch here is an official language since 1898, following a long linguistic conflict with the French rulers. In both France and Germany Dutch is not recognized as a minority language. Outside Europe enjoys Dutch official status in Suriname (a former Dutch colony that became independent in 1975), Aruba , Curaçao and Sint Maarten (countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands ). Afrikaans, the daughter language of Dutch, is one of the eleven official languages ​​in South Africa and is recognized as a regional language in Namibia .

As the Netherlands and Belgium, were both colonial powers, Dutch was also play a role in the respective colonies. Dutch was in fact also an official language in: The original Dutch settlers in South Africa, First Farmers and later Afrikaners called, have called for the recognition of the Dutch language in various republics and British territories. The only language monument dedicated to the Dutch language, established in 1893 to commemorate the recognition of Dutch in the British colony at the Cape. After the Cape Colony passed into British hands in the early 19th century, the Dutch settlers called for recognition of Dutch. Then came recognition in 1882, the event was commemorated with the creation of the Dutch Language Monument in 1893. Then in 1909, the South Afrikawet was adopted by all four provinces, this meant the recognition of both English and Dutch in the newly formed Union. On May 9, 1925 the language of the Afrikaners was standardized and recognized alongside English and Dutch and Afrikaans, but considered synonymous with Dutch. The new constitution of 1961 stipulated that among African was also referred Dutch. In 1983 there came an end to the official status of Dutch, when no new recognition was given. This status over the years also applied to South West Africa, now Namibia .
 * Dutch East Indies (to 1949), now Indonesia ;
 * Dutch New Guinea (until 1963), now part of Indonesia;
 * Belgian Congo (until 1960), French is an official language, however, remained independent Congo;
 * Ruanda-Urundi (until 1962), however, French is an official language remained in Burundi and Rwanda ;
 * Netherlands Antilles (1953 - 2010), got another polity to the area in 2010.
 * Boer republics, (from 1795 to 1902), such as;
 * South African Republic (1856-1902)
 * Orange Free State (1854-1902)
 * British Cape Colony (1882-1902)
 * South Africa, (1910-1983)
 * Southwest Africa, until 1983, African to 1990 (until 1990 under South African administration).

In international collaborations Dutch is an official language in the Benelux and in the EU, because of the membership of Belgium and the Netherlands. Also enjoy Dutch since a few years an official status in the Caribbean Community and the Union of South American Nations, thanks to the membership of Suriname.

Phonetics / phonology [ edit ]
Standard Dutch has approximately forty phonemes ; see also the Dutch the sound of inventory . [3]

In phonological terms Dutch the specificity is determined by a Lower Franconian basis (the concepts of Old Dutch and Old Low Franconian are often used interchangeably). In the Lower Franconian languages ​​have some sound shifts that High German ( Central Franconian dialects ) has certainly had not taken place, particularly the second Germanic sound shift .

Both Dutch, Low Saxon and Low German also have influences from the North Sea Germanic (Ingveoonse) undergo language group.

Dutch compared with other Germanic languages ​​[ edit ]
In the following table a few cognates in nine Germanic languages ​​are compared. Remarkably, the Wester Lauwers Frisian, African and Dutch are increasingly seem most similar:

[Word order edit ]
The most common word order in a Dutch sentence is: subject - verb - indirect object - adverbial of time and place - direct object - verbal and non-verbal rest . In main clauses, the verb generally the secondconstituent . In subordinate clauses changes the most common word order SVO in SOV : I saw that he closed the door.

Verbs [ edit ]
The Dutch verb has generally three person forms in the present tense and two in the past tense . Tenses are formed with the auxiliary verbs have and be. The future tense is formed with the auxiliary will. In Dutch can continue as in all West Germanic languages ​​to conjugation following the three types of verbs are distinguished:
 * 1) irregular verbs
 * 2) strong verbs
 * 3) weak verbs

[Vocabulary edit ]
The total vocabulary of Dutch it is estimated more than one million words [7] (excluding the millions of obsolete words). In Dutch exist as in English often two words with the same meaning ( synonyms ) whose one aGermanic erfwoord and the other a Roman loanword is such invitation and invitation. The choice of one of the two is usually determined by the Registry ; so the Germanic words are used in everyday life, and the use of their Romanesque synonyms limited to the formal written language .

[Grammar and morphology edit ]
The main grammatical differences are in the conjugation of verbs, the case system and the role of word sex . On both counts, the German language more complex and more conservative or more synthesizer . Dutch is generally as an analytical language seen. Dutch originates in the few documented Old Dutch (for 1170), which runs into the Middle sometimes Diets named (1170-1500).

[Spelling edit ]
The spelling used in the King James was one of the first attempts at standardization of Dutch spelling, but this spelling has ultimately had little effect and is now considered obsolete. [8]

The first official spelling of the New Dutch was in 1804 prepared by Matthijs Siegenbeek . The spelling Siegenbeek introduced include the typical Dutch ij, previously as y was written (happy / bly). Matthias de Vriesand Lammert Allard to Shop, the first editors of the Dictionary of the Dutch language , then designed in 1864 a new spelling. This was introduced in Belgium as the official spelling, while the Netherlands only followed in 1883 .

It would be up to 1934 last before this spelling has been simplified for education. This new version is known as the spelling Marchant, named after the Minister of Education that established it. Not so, but so was called the brochure that attempted to provide insight into the changes of double vowels to single vowels, changes to a sch some programs and the disappearance of the Dutch cases (I see the man).

In almost unaltered form was this spelling in 1946 in Belgium introduced by government decree, Netherlands led her in 1947 in. The first edition of the Green Book was published in 1954 . This booklet contained a version of the Belgian Spelling Order of 1946 and the Dutch Spellingwet of 1947, where a settlement was prescribed with respect to the pronominal use, use of genitiefvormen as of, and excused his, the spelling of loan words and between sounds in compositions . Also are used herein for the spelling of the speech sounds, the division of words into syllables, the use of the hyphen , the slash and the omission stabbing and the use of capital letters regulations and instructions given.

The Green Book in some cases contained a preferred spelling given (with variations of spellings), which led to confusion in practice. Therefore, this preferred spelling disappeared in the Green Book of 1995 .Furthermore, one of the major changes in 1995, the rules concerning the intermediate sound-e (n) - ​​in compositions.

These changes led to much discussion, the main objection that there is no logic in the rules for the between-n was to discover. In addition, critics found many mistakes in the Green Book, and published that include in the magazine Our ​​Language . The Green Book is adjusted every 10 years, so that neologisms as a webcam (1998), SMS (1999) and googling (2003) as new entries are recorded. The last spelling reform dates back to 2005 and mainly concerns the elimination of exceptions or doubt when applying spelling rules.

The objections to the Green Book led to the publication in August 2006 of an alternate spelling list, called " white spell 'in the White Booklet . A number of media announced this spelling, based on the spelling before 1995, they will continue to use (these were the Volkskrant , Trouw , NRC Handelsblad , Elsevier , HP / De Tijd , De Groene Amsterdam , Netherlands Fri , Planet Internet , Teletext and the NIS ). Meanwhile, the spelling of the Green Book mandatory in public documents, in the (basic) education.

Geographic distribution [ edit ]
Status of Dutch in different areas.

██ Language (Low Countries and Suriname)

Officially ██ (administrative)

██ Mother tongue and second language (not officially, excl. In Afrikaans ZA)

██ Immigrant Language (in Canada and Germany)

Dutch is spoken mainly in the Netherlands , Belgium (the Flemish Community ) and Suriname . Also on Aruba , Curaçao and Sint Maarten(part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands ), and also in French Flanders Fields (the extreme north of France, part of French Flanders ) and in small parts of Germany (mostly on the western border) speaks and teaches one Dutch. In the case of the three countries mentioned in the first paragraph says the Dutch Language Union (NTU) since 1980, also from northern Dutch, Belgian Dutch and Surinamese Dutch. InSouth Africa and Indonesia (or the former Dutch East Indies ) Dutch is as much a source language used. Old documents and legal texts are often written in Dutch. In 2005, outside the Dutch territory in forty countries to more than 220 universities by about five hundred teachers taught Dutch to over ten thousand students, led by Germany with thirty departments, followed by the United States and France with 20 universities. 0.7% of New Zealanders say their home language is Dutch. Within the European Union (EU) is the eighth most spoken language (after the German, French, English, Italian, Polish, Spanish and Romanian).

Netherlands, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba [ edit ]
The official language in the Netherlands, as taught in schools and used by the authorities, Standard Dutch mentioned. In the Netherlands, the official language of over sixteen million inhabitants. This status as an official language is not officially recorded in 1995. Due to a change of the General Administrative Law Act, this came about.This change was intended to also Frisian to give an official status. Limburgish and Low Saxon are officially recognized regional languages ​​. The immigrant minority languages ​​are Turkish (192,000 speakers), Moroccan Arabic (100,000), Papiamento (80,000), Indonesian (45,000) and Sranan (7000). This emerges from a study in 2005, commissioned by the Dutch Language Union. Dutch is (not always correctly) also known as Flemish (in Belgium), Dutch (especially in the Randstad) and Low German (by historical linguists).

Belgium [ edit ]
Dutch is the mother tongue of about six million Belgians (Flemish), in addition there are about four million Francophones and 71,000 people who use German as the official language.

The constitutional reform of 1970 has led to a distinction of four language areas, where the three officially recognized languages ​​are spoken in Belgium, namely the Dutch-speaking region (corresponding to the Flemish Region), the French-speaking region (corresponding to the Walloon Region minus the German language) and the German-speaking region and the bilingual Brussels-Capital region (corresponding to the Brussels Capital Region). This classification into language was included in Art. 4 of the Belgian Constitution. Each municipality in the kingdom should be part of one of these four language. A change is only possible with a special law to be adopted (ie a law with a special majority). Since the last amendment, on November 8, 1962, is the language barrier remained unchanged.

In the bilingual region of Brussels-Capital was originally mainly Dutch. For Frenchification Brussels may have played a number of factors. So enjoyed French long been a higher social status and was the upper class, the introduction of universal suffrage for men in 1919, had held the political reins of house from francophone or fully Frenchified. In addition, the French until 1898 was the only official language in Belgium (La Belgique gelatin ou elle ne sera sera pas (Dutch: Belgium will be Latin or she will not be), Cardinal Mercier at the time). The many immigrants, first from Southern Europe and then from Morocco and Turkey were adopted French as the official language in their dealings with government and third parties, and did increase the number of French speakers. The exact number of Dutch (native) under the Brussels population is not known; estimates of these vary depending on the political ideology that adheres to the source. In parliamentary elections, the number of votes cast for Flemish parties around 13 to 14 percent of the votes cast [source?] . Regressed to the population it accounts for approximately 100,000 inhabitants. However, one must also take into account the fact that foreigners, including some French speakers, as well vote for Flemish parties. Conversely Dutch vote not only for Flemish parties.

In a number of language-boundary municipalities in the French language, called municipalities with facilities, there is a particular language regime for Dutch (which in practice little is made ​​of use), just as they already are in the Dutch language for French (which on the other hand a hot political issue is, see the problematic Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde ).

Pupils in Wallonia can choose their second language freely, in that choice wins English in popularity at the expense of Dutch [source?] . In Brussels schools there is no free choice and the other national language compulsory second language. For many French speakers Dutch also the second language still speaking Dutch for many Francophones continues even after years of education, still a real challenge. According to a recent study (La dynamique des langues en Belgique) of the Catholic University of Louvain and the University of Brussels would be only 19% of the Walloons are powerful Dutch (Flemish side would know 59% French). The quality of language teaching in French-speaking Belgium is certainly to blame. Now the knowledge of Dutch is also an economic necessity in Wallonia increasingly (including tourism) awareness seems to be growing that other avenues should be explored. Brussels choose many Francophones and immigrants already for the Dutch-language education to get the language that way below the knee. In Wallonia can schools for several years, opt for a system in which other subjects than Dutch are taught in Dutch. An increasing number of schools are using this opportunity, even in kindergartens experimented with this system are often employed for this Flemish teachers [source?] .

Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten [ edit ]
Like the Netherlands make Aruba , Curaçao and Sint Maarten is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands . The big difference with the Netherlands is that Dutch be the official language and language, but not the everyday language. On Curaçao with 130,000, with 100,000 Aruba it Papiamento used. On the island of Sint Maarten is English the official language. This is apparent from an examination of the Language Union.The education is taught in some schools in Papiamento, the high school has Dutch as the language.

A lot of young people in St. Maarten used "language" is Denglish, also Coals English called. This is a mix of Dutch and English, which also comes from the name (Dutch and English).

Suriname [ edit ]
Although Dutch after independence in 1975, the official language of Suriname has remained there twenty languages ​​are spoken. Dutch is the language of administration, justice and education. Since 2005, Suriname member of the Dutch Language Union. In the study that the Language Union held on that occasion, gave more than sixty percent of the population to have Dutch as their mother tongue. This indicates a growth compared with previous data. As a contact language among the different population groups is also Sranantongo widely used.This language is by virtually all Surinamese controlled, though it is the mother tongue of a limited part of the population. Furthermore, the Sarnami Hindustani Surinamese and Javanese tens of thousands of speakers. Almost all Surinamese speak at least two languages.

France [ edit ]
Language use in the French Flanders Fields in 1874 and 1972

The language border through the ages

The Dunkirk district of Nord, also called the French Flanders Fields called traditionally is a Dutch-speaking region in France . There are Flemish dialects belonging to the dialect group of the West Flemish . However, the dialect use is particularly from the late nineteenth century to slump. The main reason for this is that Dutch and Flemish dialect are not recognized by the French state and the French national traditions associated regional language, as is the case with Breton, Corsican, Basque and Provençal. Together with the German Alsace-Lorraine was seen as a strange, 'tradition ellement hostile' idiom, belonging to a foreign language, and was therefore still banned after the war in the civil traffic and school. This official rejection did parents decide to give their language less and less to their children.

Nowadays control only a few thousand - mostly elderly - the Flemish dialect. There are also dialect courses, where certain interest exists among those who want to understand their ancestral language. But these courses again compete with those in Dutch, which are popular with those that want to put more practical reasons contacts in Flanders and the Netherlands. After two centuries of prohibition must for some years to that 'Dutch' be taught in primary schools, though not explicitly as the Flemish dialect of the area, but as a 'foreign language'. The accompanying maps show respect to the situation in 1972 may be a rosy picture because they are not based on a representative survey of the population, but on the statements of some influential persons per municipality. The card "linguistic border through the ages" indicates the area in which there are people with Dutch as their native language could be found, not how high their share of the total population.

In French Flanders Fields most place names and surnames are recognizable Dutch. Also, more and more street names 'vervlaamst', that is to say that the gallicized form or the replacement by French equivalents is rotated back to the original version. However, France did not sign the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages ​​and thus must Dutch and Flemish still waiting for official recognition and protection as a regional language.

In 2004 ANVT (was Academy of Nuuze Vlaemsche Taele ) was established. The ANVT is a federation of associations of French Flanders Fields and calls for official recognition of the Franco-Flemish dialect as a regional language in France.

Germany [ edit ]
In northern Germany, many dialects that are related to the Dutch Low Saxon dialects. Furthermore, there are areas in Germany which were historically Dutch. These areas were mainly against the Dutch border. Around Adhesive is a good as Dutch ( South Guelderish ) recognizable Low Franconian dialect spoken, the Klever Lands or German-Dutch . A much larger area on theLower Rhine, however, in line with the Southern dialects Gelderland and Limburg. The umbrella term for the language varieties in this area is Low Rhenish .

Today many Dutch live just over the border in Germany. Dutch at many schools in Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia taught.

Indonesia [ edit ]
In the former Dutch colony of the Dutch East Indies Dutch is primarily spoken by older people, who colonial rule for some time have experienced. There was a great hatred of the Netherlands, but there was respect for the Dutch language. Still, some used laws of Indonesia in Dutch. And there are several occupations where many Dutch terms must be learned. Dutch together with the English used as the language of commerce.Dutch until 1949, the official language of India and to 1963 from New Guinea (now Papua).

Canada [ edit ]
In Canada is home to about 900,000 people of Dutch descent. These are almost all immigrants (and their children) who have moved to Canada after the Second World War. Approximately 128 670 Canadians speak Dutch as their native language. Thus there are in Canada many Dutch-Canadian clubs and Dutch radio programs. There is even a Dutch newspaper, which has long exists and recently again for a time of doom saved by sponsors (including the Flemish Government).

United States [ edit ]
Dutch spread across the United States . As an indication, in the darkest colored area ( Indiana ) 0.13% of the population speaks Dutch. The United States is home to about five million people of Dutch or Flemish origin. These are based around the former Dutch colony of New Netherlands or its (former) immigrants especially around 1850 and later after World War II have moved to the US. There are villages where reasonable Dutch is spoken. However, Dutch is only a small immigrant language in the US There are some schools where Dutch is optional and there are Dutch clubs.

New Zealand [ edit ]
Also in New Zealand life people of Dutch descent who have gone to the country after World War II. After a survey showed that 0.7% of the New Zealand population spoke Dutch as their native language. That is a number of about 29,000 people. Research (Crezee, 2008; 2012) has shown that a large part of the Dutch immigrants who emigrated to New Zealand between 1950 and 1965, under pressure from the English-speaking population also home switched to English.

Australia [ edit ]
Australia also had to deal with large Dutch immigration. Especially in large cities Dutch form a cohesive group and appears still a Dutch newspaper. However, many Afrikaans speakers also live in Australia. Research has shown that the first generation of approximately 57% was exchanged for his native English. [source?]

Congo [ edit ]
Congo was from 1908 to 1960 a colony of Belgium. Dutch officially there was a co-official status. But in practice the administration of the colony was unilingual French. Still, it was an important part of the settlers in Dutch.

Dutch dialects [ edit ]
See attached map for the location of the generally regarded as forms of Dutch dialects . [9] This is a global format, with most transition dialects are not included. So it is only intended to provide a general picture of the distribution of the Dutch dialects. Low Saxon, Zeeland and Limburg are not considered here as a separate language; this has no political background.

The border between dialect and language for the West Germanic language area, including the Netherlands and Flanders, very problematic. Caution is advised when using this card, as most language barriers that insist indicated are fluid and vague and are not endorsed by all linguists (especially the boundaries of the Limburg and Low Saxon is not).

Dutch dialects

Suriname

Curaçao, Sint Maarten and the BES islands

A. South-Western dialect group (Zeeland / West Flemish)
 * 1. West Flanders, including Franco-Flemish and Zeeland Flanders
 * 2. Zeeland

B. Northwest dialect group ( Hollands )
 * 3. South Holland
 * 4. West Overhoeks
 * 5. Waterlands * and Volendam *
 * 6. Zaans *
 * 7. Kennemer Lands
 * 8. Western Frisian *
 * 9. Bildt , Midslands , City Fries and Amelands *

C. Northeastern dialect group ( Low Saxon )
 * 10. Kollumer Lands *
 * 11. Groningen * and North-Area
 * 12. Stellingwerfs
 * 13. Middle Drenthe
 * 14. South Drenthe
 * 15. Twente
 * 16. Twente-Graafschaps
 * 17. Gelders-Overijssel ( Achterhoeks ) and Urkers *
 * 18. Veluwe

D. North-Central dialect group
 * 19. Utrecht-Alblasserwaards

E. South-Central dialect group
 * 20. South Guelderish
 * 21. North Brabant and North Limburg
 * 22. Brabants
 * 23. East Flanders

F. Southeastern dialect group
 * 24. Limburg (whose position relative to Dutch is somewhat controversial, it is within the Netherlands as regional language recognized). However, under the one heading of Limburg there is a great variety of dialects, of which the western lake at the Brabant and the eastern more akin to the Rhineland.

G. Suriname
 * 25. Surinamese-Dutch

H. Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten and the BES islands
 * 26. Antillean-Dutch

Remainder
 * Province of Flevoland . This has not yet formed dialect. Generally speaking here of South Holland variants, namely either the Standard Dutch, or the Amsterdam (in Lelystad and Almere ). See further in the Dutch IJsselmeerpolders . In the north and particularly in and around Urk is traditionally been a dialect of Low Saxon said.

Note

* The dialect groups marked with an asterisk are indeed numbered among the Dutch or Low Saxon, but traditionally have a very strong Frisian substrate. North Holland variants after the Second World War greatly to Standard Dutch converged; Sometimes they speak in those areas even of two coexisting dialects, traditional (strong, also called heavy dialect) and the modern (light) dialect. Town Frisian that arose later, Frieser of character has been and is often taken as a separate group. Sometimes the North Holland variants and Town Frisian taken together.

Compared with standard Dutch dialects [ edit ]
A widespread idea is that Dutch in Haarlem spoken closest to the Standard Dutch is. [10] A study by dialectoloog Harrie Scholtmeijer of the Meertens Institute has shown that Drontense most young people speak Dutch accent-free. [11]

Many dialects grow as a result of leveling and adaptation to the Dutch standard profound closeness and Standard Dutch, as used in the media, increasing, both in Belgium and the Netherlands. Also because the dialects traditionally in the traditional handicraft and agriculture profiled, they lose their characteristics in modern times in idiom and sound. The basis of the dialect of the local community. Because of modern mobility are more diverse participants in this community and they recognize themselves less and less in their 'own language'. Dialects evolve thus to regional speech to a broader base georgrafische. Regarded as the Dutch dialects (thus excluding the Frisian and the Limburg) the state Groningen furthest from the default. Historically the Groningen belongs to the Lower Saxon dialect group in northwestern Germany.

Periphery of Dutch [ edit ]
The collective term "Periphery of Dutch" below is a list of language variants or derivatives of Dutch geographically, sociolinguistic and / or typological at a greater distance from the 'tribal areas' and / or Standard Dutch than others, more mainstream varieties of Dutch. This typological concept was originally used for Dutch, but is also applicable to other languages ​​(see also German ).

Language Distance between regional languages ​​/ dialects and the Dutch standard (1).

Former Dutch-speaking areas of Germany (17th - 19th century), excluding the Limburg / Lower Rhine in the northern Rhine (region Heinsberg - Düsseldorf). See also Geldern

The former language area of ​​the Eastern Frisian; the red line is the separation between the Ems and Weser Frisian, but also between the present dialects Groningen East Friesian and Oldenburg Peripheral varieties originated from the contact and the influence of one or more exogenous, non-Dutch languages ​​or dialects. They can both dialects, regional speech , language contact, mixed languages ​​as sociolects concern or steel group. In most cases, these are varieties that have arisen in the distant past in the periphery of Dutch. The probability of the emergence of modern peripheral varieties is limited, but still present (compare Murks and slang ). Be distinguished: Standard Dutch is the official standard language, Dutch, as taught in schools and is used by the authorities and media in the Netherlands, Belgium, Suriname, Aruba, Curacao and Sint Maarten. In addition, within the Dutch-speaking many dialects. Not all dialects are equally strong deviant varies the distance to default. Limburgish and Low Saxon are like Fries officially recognized regional languages ​​within the Dutch border, where the Dutch daktaal is. In the areas, there is diglossia . The land borders are vernacular level no language barriers. And across the border in the periphery, find mixing place or walk the dialects continue. Border and transitional dialects are: Brussels , French-Flemish , Town Frisian, Eastern Low Rhenish with Klever Highlands, the Limburg / Lower Rhine in the eastern parts of theUpper Quarter of Gelderland (the old Posts Geldern; Straelen; Wachtendonck; Krickenbeck with Viersen ; Erkelenz containing Elmpt Brempt, Niederkrüchten and Wegberg, see Guliks Overkwartier ) and deeper in the Northern Rhine (region Heinsberg-Düsseldorf), the Self Kant , the Plat Diets with the South-Limburg and the Plat Diets . These are dialects of Dutch in the past associated with and / or are directly adjacent to the stem or core area of Dutch, who are now strongly influenced by another culture language than Dutch. In several of these areas Dutch has previously been the language of culture. On the eastern border plays a role in whether these dialects Low Franconian and Low Saxon are. In the first case (Klever Highlands, the Limburg / Lower Rhine in the eastern Upper Gelderland, the Self Kant, Plat Diets and South-Limburg) they are more likely as Dutch funds, in other cases previously as German (Low German), namely Westphalian Low Saxon ( especially in the old counties of Lingen and Bentheim ) or East Frisian (East Frisia) and the Groningen a variant of Low Saxon in Frisian basis.
 * Spread of Dutch
 * Border and transitional dialects
 * Other cultural language
 * Dutch or German?

The historical range of Dutch in the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany

Dutch is from the Reformation to the first half of the 19th century exerted its greatest influence on the German regions along the Dutch border - in East Frisia, the counties of Bentheim , Lingen and Steinfurt, areas Gronau , Gemen , Werth and Anholt , the duchies of Cleves , Gelder and Gulik , the county Meurs and the Electoral Cologne area Rheinberg ( Rheinberg ) has Dutch as native or foreign writing, teaching and church language served. In cases where the local Low German dialect was closely related to Dutch, the language next to the High German a feature filled as standard, while Reformed congregations and Mennonites to have preferred religious reasons to Dutch. [12]

Afrikaans [ edit ]
From Dutch is the only daughter language Afrikaans (specifically, a daughter language of Dutch New originated), which until 1925 still as a variety was considered of Dutch. Afrikaans developed from the Dutch settlers in the seventeenth century to the Cape Colony brought. It has since undergone influences from other languages ​​like Malay, English, German and Bantu . It is considered to be (semi-) creole language . Dutch, Flemish, Surinamese and Africans can understand each other without much difficulty. In 1925, the African was in South Africa equated with Dutch as official language. In 1961, the status was officially confirmed as the language in which Dutch equivalent was imposed on the African - it's the reverse situation of 1925 - and the constitutional amendment in 1983, the provision was deleted, stating that the "Dutch language" the same status had as Afrikaans.

Creole Languages ​​[ edit ]
Spread around the world exist or existed at some Dutch-based creole languages ​​. Some of these are in particular influenced by the Zeeland. Most of these languages ​​are entirely or largely died out . Here we speak of mixing ( pidgin - and Creole -) languages. In Suriname, moreover, a different, bastardized form of spoken Dutch, Surinamese-Dutch .
 * Petjoh and Javindo Language in Indonesia ( extinct );
 * Ceylons-Dutch in Sri Lanka ( extinct );
 * Albany Dutch , Jersey Dutch ( extinct ) and Mohawk English in the United States ;
 * Berbice-Dutch ( extinct ) and Skepi ( extinct ) in Guyana ;
 * Negerhollands the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico (extinct);
 * Papiamento in Aruba , Bonaire and Curacao ;
 * Sranantongo (Surinam) in Suriname .

Internal creool- and contact languages ​​and sociolects [ edit ]
In addition to the dialects that are regionally based, and whether or not stand pressure, there are the so-called sociolects determined by the social class or group to which one belongs or wants to be counted. This sociolects sometimes just emerging: Cape Dutch (extinct), Pella Dutch dialect (based on the South Guelderish) and Plautdietsch . Here we speak of mixing ( pidgin - and Creole -) languages. In Suriname, moreover, a different, bastardized form of spoken Dutch, Surinamese-Dutch .
 * Jewish -Dutch, Murks, slang, jargon or slang. Here we speak of Delegates or steel group, contact languages ​​and sociolinguistic varieties that go beyond the level of trade unions or group jargon.
 * Emigrated dialects
 * External mixing languages ​​(more or less based on Dutch)

[Origin edit ]
Main Germanic tribe, after the Roman period in the Netherlands, in the delta of the Rhine , Meuse and Scheldt , the Franks much stronger put their stamp on the formation of what later became the Dutch standard than related West Germanic tribes as the Frisians and the Saxony , which is more in the coastal regions, respectively east of the IJssel lived. As a result, the current relationship of Dutch and German (which largely also in the Frankish can be traced back) is also important, particularly with regard to the word order .

The oldest Dutch [ edit ]
Reissue of the King James Versionof 1921.

Frankish developed from the early Middle Ages in the current Dutch-speaking region to the Old Dutch . Old Dutch, ie Dutch like that until about the middle of the 12th centurywas said, was the forerunner of the Middle . The spelling of Middle Dutch followed the spoken language, which could vary greatly by region. This was initially not so important when little was put into the vernacular in writing and most people outside of the higher clergy, also illiterate and were therefore not read much. Throughout the Middle Ages,were all important writings and official documents in the Latin written what the lingua franca was the European elite. In the 16th century, when the literacy under the 'normal' population increased significantly and therefore Dutch became increasingly important as a written language, several attempts were made ​​to achieve a consistent spelling.Finally gave the States General commissioned the Bible to be translated from the original text. This resulted in 1637 in a translation that became known as the King James Version . For this translation a balance was sought between all existing regional languages ​​of the Dutch language. Basis the Franconian dialects of the provinces Holland andBrabant . Saxon elements especially the verb forms in-eight (brought, brought, thought, thought) and the reflexive pronoun itself. The third major language / dialect group in the Low Countries, the Frisian, which constitutes its own language, has in the development of Standard Dutch played virtually no role. The translators of the King James many words and expressions ( neologisms ) created that day are still in use today. There are to date several denominations who use this translation still in their church services.

Dutch literature [ edit ]
The oldest written in Dutch book that is currently known is the handwriting of the Wachtendonck Psalms, so named for the Liege canon Arnold Wachtendonck . When this script in 1591 by Justus Lipsius was found in Liege, he dated the date of manufacture at about 900 . It was found written in the region where it is 700 years later, when the back Lipsius was still found: near Liege, perhaps in the monastery Munsterbilzen that as a major in the 10th century abbey was of noble nuns . The Waiting Donkse psalms, however, are not autonomous Dutch text, but translated into Latin glosses of a set metrical psalms. This book is, moreover, the site of the first time that the Dutch word ' book 'occurs, as spelled' BuOK. The book is narrated to us in the form of a partial copy: Lipsius after the book was never seen again.

As the Egmond Williram reputable literary work came from the Benedictine abbey at Egmond . This work was probably written around 1100, and since approximately 1600 in the Leiden University preserved.

Facsimile reproduction of the Hebban olla vogala fragment.

One of the oldest literary phrases in Dutch is Hebban olla vogala (although it is no longer the oldest sense), while the oldest formal document that was ever written in Dutch, the ships letter of Boechaute (located in East Flanders, a bailiwick of Gavere ) is. This sealed a land transaction between the gentry Baldwin Mill Iron from Dallem and Ghent patrician Hendrik van den Putte.

It shows the history of Dutch literature broadly in the 12th century begin (with the work of Henry of Veldeke ). About older literary works written in Dutch, little is known.

The famous Dutch literature from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance is mainly in poetry form written. The most famous novels of that time are the romances of chivalry . In the 16th century, new genres such as the tragedy in vogue.

A Dutch literary work from the 18th century is the poem Friso of Willem van Haren from 1741 . He writes in it the fate of the legendary first king of the Frisians.

After 1750, many literary societies founded, and started for most writers have a career in the arts.

Under Napoleon Bonaparte, the French influence on Dutch language and literature and culture stronger. Because Netherlands and Belgium during the reign of Napoleon finally part of the French Empire were Dutch was banned. Education was almost entirely Frenchified.

The influence of the romance was in the Netherlands, for example, was much less pronounced than in England . Dutch authors were mainly influenced by English romantics like Walter Scott and Lord Byron . A new genre that made ​​entrance were called physiologies, where individuals were described which were models for a particular group. That was around 1840 .

By the Second World War in the Netherlands there was a major change in the Dutch literature. The idealistic seems to have disappeared from the literature. Instead, the description of the raw reality, inhumanity, and great attention to physicality and sexuality .

In the Netherlands and Belgium since 1956 the Dutch Literature Prize awarded. This prize is awarded by the Dutch Language Union .

Language Union [ edit ]
Dutch Language Union:

██ Member

██ special ties with the Taalunie

██ Other areas where Dutch (or African) is spoken. On September 9, 1980 was the Convention on the Dutch Language Union (NTU) signed by the Belgian and Dutch Foreign Ministers. Flanders and the Netherlands agreed to the Dutch language and its speakers represent together now. Since 2004, Suriname is also an associate member of the Union. NTU operates as a kind of common language for the Department of the three areas. Decisions are made ​​by the members of the Committee of Ministers of the Dutch Language Union; Ministers and / or Secretaries of Culture and Education of the Netherlands and Flanders, a total of 4. The Surinamese ambassador to the Netherlands Suriname represents as an associate member. The Language Union's responsibilities for the publication of the Green Book . The Dutch Language Union supports Dutch-language education throughout the world and has special ties with Indonesia and South Africa .

Language Monument [ edit ]
The only language monument dedicated to the Dutch language is in Burgersdorp .

The only monument dedicated to the Dutch language was on January 18, 1893 Citizens Village revealed. The monument is in South Africa, also known as the First Language Monument, with the Second Language Monument, the Language Monument in Paarl intended. The monument, which consists of a woman pointing with her ​​hand for a book showing Victory of the Dutch language, was created for the recognition of Dutch in the British occupied the Cape Colony to commemorate. However, the language monument has had much to endure in the Second Boer War, and exists today of two identical images. The destroyed and a replica by the British, which was a gift from the British government to the Dutch settlers in South Africa .

Glossaries [ edit ]

 * The list of glossaries refers to articles with terminology and meanings on different topics.

See also [ edit ]

 * Dutch as a second language
 * Diets
 * Upper Lance
 * List of numbers in various languages

Related topics [ edit ]

 * Dutch
 * Flemings
 * Afrikaners

External links [ edit ]

 * DBNL
 * Department of Dutch language DBNL
 * Language Union
 * Society Our Language
 * Hotline language
 * Woorden.org
 * General Dutch Grammar
 * Etymology Dictionary
 * Taaltelefoon
 * Language Service VRT