Dutch progression The changes in the Dutch language in the 20th century
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Dutch Progression: The Evolution of the Dutch Language in the 20th Century
Summary
The Dutch language, spoken by over 22 million people primarily in the Netherlands and Belgium, ranks among Europe's more prevalent languages.
Article
The Dutch language boasts over 22 million speakers, predominantly in the Netherlands and Belgium, making it a significant European language.
Prior to the 17th century, Dutch lacked standardization, resulting in numerous dialects that posed communication challenges. However, post-17th century efforts led to a standardized form, distinguishing it from local dialects. Yet, the language's evolution spanned into the 19th and 20th centuries, influenced by German, French, and English.
One prominent change in the past century is pronunciation. The introduction of voiceless sounds, such as pronouncing "v" as "f," "z" as "s," and "g" as "x," originally from a Holland province dialect, now features in standard Dutch. This trend aligns with a move towards phonetic spelling, ensuring each sound corresponds to a single letter or consistent grapheme.
Changes in the pronunciation of diphthongs, specifically "ei," "ui," and "ou," evolving to "aai," "ou," and "aau," began with well-educated, upper-middle-class women in academia, politics, arts, and literature. This trend eventually spread across various demographics, including men and children under ten from diverse backgrounds. Notably, these changes are prevalent among women of Turkish or Moroccan descent in large parts of the Netherlands.
Morphological shifts are also occurring. A key development is the use of plural endings like "-s" for nouns ending in "e," such as "hoogte" becoming "hoogtes" instead of "hoogten." Additionally, the suffix "baar" is increasingly favored over "(e)lijk," especially in neologisms.
There's also rising usage of compound nouns in modern Dutch.
These evolutions demonstrate the dynamic nature of Dutch, continuously adapting and enriching its linguistic landscape.
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