Series
language
language
Christopher Joby
5 min reading time
From Dwile to Forlorn Hope. This Is Why English Sometimes Sounds Like Dutch
Due to its geographical closeness to the Low Countries, Britain has played an important role in the history of the Dutch language.
language
Christopher Joby
5 min reading time
Bīru and Kōhī Are Not the Only Japanese Words Dutch Speakers May Understand
There are well over 150 Dutch loanwords in common use in Japanese and many more words which owe their origin to Dutch.
language
Anna P.H. Geurts
5 min reading time
Why Dutch-Speakers Have Such a Hard Time with Gender-Neutral Language
The English language knows 'they' for one person. But in Dutch a gender-neutral alternative to 'he' and 'she' is still a long way off. This may have to do with a grammatical rule that Dutch speakers consider important.
language
Reinier Salverda
9 min reading time
Double Dutch and Beyond
The United Kingdom and The Netherlands' shared history has a big and often funny impact on each other's language.
language
Tom Christiaens
2 min reading time
The Top 5 Language Stories of the Year
Our best language stories of 2020, handpicked by the editor.
Series
Babel in the Low Countries
language
Cefas van Rossem
6 min reading time
What if We Were to Speak Skepi Dutch?
250 words have been discovered from Skepi, a Dutch-based creole language spoken in Guyana for three centuries. And that's a big deal.
language
Samira Bendadi
8 min reading time
‘Lowlifes, Scum, Shut up’. Swearing in Political Discourse
In the Low Countries too, the use of profanity by politicians in office is no longer an exception. Is this profane language spontaneous and innocent, or is there a calculated strategy behind it?
language
Christopher Joby
5 min reading time
From Dwile to Forlorn Hope. This Is Why English Sometimes Sounds Like Dutch
Due to its geographical closeness to the Low Countries, Britain has played an important role in the history of the Dutch language.
language
Yuri Visser
5 min reading time
From Dutch Alps to Double Dutch. When Dutch Means No Good
The English language has many names and expressions in which the word Dutch is used. Its meaning is often negative.
language
Jaap Grave
8 min reading time
Dutch Studies in Saint Petersburg Stands on Sturdy Ground
At Saint Petersburg State University, translation studies and interpreting are important subjects within the study of Dutch language and culture.
language
Christopher Joby
5 min reading time
Bīru and Kōhī Are Not the Only Japanese Words Dutch Speakers May Understand
There are well over 150 Dutch loanwords in common use in Japanese and many more words which owe their origin to Dutch.
language
Joss Wibisono
10 min reading time
Why Indonesia Never Really Became Dutch, but Is Now Becoming Anglicised
There is something about the development of the Indonesian language that irritates journalist Joss Wibisono - it is being mixed with English.
language
Nicoline van der Sijs
9 min reading time
Appelflappen and Clog Wogs. On Flemish and Dutch Emigrants in the Anglophone World
A big survey shows that Dutch and Flemish people who move abroad to Anglophone countries don’t speak Dutch quite as often as their other emigrated compatriots do.
language
Anna P.H. Geurts
5 min reading time
Why Dutch-Speakers Have Such a Hard Time with Gender-Neutral Language
The English language knows 'they' for one person. But in Dutch a gender-neutral alternative to 'he' and 'she' is still a long way off. This may have to do with a grammatical rule that Dutch speakers consider important.
language
Fieke Van der Gucht
4 min reading time
Beautiful Language Can Hide in Great Sorrow
Nuances of Dutch language are sometimes difficult for non-native speakers. But these difficulties have led to creative language discoveries.
language
Maarten Dessing
5 min reading time
Dutch and Flemish Studies in Michigan: From 70 to 190 Students
By linking the course to contemporary issues, Dutch and Flemish Studies in Michigan is now more in demand than ever.
language
Reinier Salverda
6 min reading time
The Future of Dutch Language Studies in Indonesia is Secure
The Dutch language has all but vanished from Indonesia. However, it remains an important language of education in the country.
language
Anna P.H. Geurts
4 min reading time
Why Vondel Looked Like A Fisherman in Harem Trousers
In the Dutch language, bloomers have been known under a variety of names that refer to the Middle East, New York and Dutch fishermen.
language
Luc Devoldere
2 min reading time
FROM THE ARCHIVES: The Language Border in Belgium
Anyone who wants to understand the linguistic complexity of Belgium must be aware of the language border, declared in 1963, that divides the country into two big regions.
language
Christopher Joby
5 min reading time
Young Taiwanese Had to Learn Dutch at School in the Seventeenth Century
Although the Dutch stayed in Taiwan for less than forty years in the seventeenth century, Dutch has had a lasting impact on the language the islanders still speak today.
language
Jaap de Jong
11 min reading time
Who Gave the Most Royal Corona Speech?
Many European rulers gave speeches during the corona crisis. How did they infuse their words with power? What meanings did Willem-Alexander’s concerned look and Filip’s stiff facial expression lend to their messages? And who gave the best speech?
language
Fieke Van der Gucht
3 min reading time
Is the E-Bike Superseding the M-Bike?
While cycling and snarling, linguist Fieke van der Gucht might spur a change in language.
language
Fieke Van der Gucht
4 min reading time
Pals, Stop Complaining About Student’s Language Skills!
Linguist Fieke Van der Gucht doesn't like teachers who complain about the decline in students' language skills.
language
Fieke Van der Gucht
4 min reading time
Nomen Est Omen
Linguist Fieke Van der Gucht investigated the way the old Germanic people chose their first names. As for her own name? Turns out her parents weren’t very good at German.
language
Fieke Van der Gucht
3 min reading time
Who Gives a Fuck About an Oxford Comma? Me!
Linguist Fieke Van der Gucht declares her love to a comma.
language
Luc Devoldere
3 min reading time
Who Is in Charge of Language?
When it comes to Dutch, editor-in-chief Luc Devoldere states that it is not clear who determines which language norms to respect and which rules to adhere to.
