Names for the Dutch language

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Because of the turbulent history of both the Netherlands and Belgium (mostly because of the frequent change of economical and military power within the Low Countries), the names that other peoples have chosen to use to refer to the Dutch language vary more than for most other languages. The modern Dutch name for the language is Nederlands.

In general, the names for the Dutch language can be arranged in seven groups according to their origin.

Note: Some languages use multiple forms.

Contents

[edit] Dutch

From Proto-Germanic *þiudiskaz, "folk":

The English word "Dutch" is derived from the Old Germanic word "þeod" meaning "people, race or nation" which itself derives from Proto Germanic "*theudo". Originally this word was used to indicate all continental Germanic people who spoke a West Germanic language, but was later restricted to the Dutch language and the Dutch people.

[edit] Etymology

Further information: Dutch (ethnic group): Etymology

The word Dutch comes from the proto-Germanic word *þeudisko-z, and became Duutsc in Middle Dutch, which later gave the two early modern Dutch forms, Duits in the County of Holland and the Duchy of Brabant, and Diets in the County of Flanders.[1] Duits has taken on the meaning of "German" and Diets meaning "Dutch" (along with "Nederlands") but no longer in general use (see the Diets article), dropped for its Nazi-era overtones. German Deutsch meaning "German" has the same origin.[2][3]

The English word Dutch has also changed with time. It was only around 1550, with growing cultural and economic contacts and the rise of an independent country, that the modern meaning arose, i.e., 'designating the people of the Netherlands or their language'. Prior to this, the meaning was more general and could refer to any Germanic-speaking area or the languages there (including the current Germany, Austria, and Switzerland as well as the Netherlands). For example:

  • William Caxton (c. 1422–91) wrote in his Prologue to his Aeneids in 1490 that an old English text was more akin to Dutche than English. In his notes, Professor W.F. Bolton makes clear that this word means German in general rather than Dutch.
  • In four books containing the Chronography and History of the whole world, Vol. II (London, 1677: 154) contains "…the Dutch call Leibnitz," adding that Dutch is spoken in the parts of Hungary adjoining to Germany.

[edit] Language of Holland

During the Dutch golden age in which the Netherlands became a world power and established their empire, the province of Holland was the richest and most influential. Also, foreign visitors often only stayed in the province of Holland. Hence the language of the Dutch is often named after this province.

From Dutch Hollands:

[edit] Language of the Low Countries

From "Low Countries" (literal translations of Dutch Nederlands):

Some languages have literally translated "Language of the Low Countries", as in the English word "Nether-land-ic" meaning "(of the) Low Countries".

From or cognate with "Netherlands" (Dutch Nederlands referring to Nederland or (de) Nederlanden):

In Dutch "Nederland" means "the Netherlands"; however, "Nederlands" (Dutch) does not mean "language of the Netherlands", but rather "language of the Low Countries" since "Low Countries" translates as "Nederlanden" in Dutch. Many languages have a word for the Dutch language derived from this word (such as French), or have a cognate (such as West Frisian).

[edit] Language of Flanders

From "Flemish" (Dutch Vlaams) or from the region this refers to: "Flanders" (Dutch Vlaanderen)

Before the northern provinces of the low countries became the most influential, the economic heart of the region, and arguably of Western Europe, was situated in Flanders. Some languages refer to the Dutch language with a word derived from the region of Flanders.

[edit] Batavian

From "Batavian":

When the Romans first explored the lands of Northern Europe regions were usually named after the dominant tribes living there. The area which are now the Netherlands was inhabited by the Batavians. The Batavians are gone but their name remained in the Latin word.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Oxford English Dictionary: MDu. dutsch, duutsch, duutsc, ‘Hollandish, or, in a wider sense, Netherlandish, and even German’ (Verdam), in early mod. Du. duytsch, now duitsch, ‘German’, = Ger. deutsch, MHG. diutsch, ‘German’, OHG. diutisc, popular, vulgar.
    OHG. diutisc, OS. thiudisc, OE. þéodisc, Goth. *þiudisks: OTeut. *þeudisko-z, meant ‘popular, national’, f. OTeut. *þeudâ-, Goth. þiuda, ON. þjóð, OS. thioda, thiod, OE. þéod (ME. THEDE), OHG. diota, diot, people, nation. In Germany, the adj. was used (in the 9th c.) as a rendering of L. vulgaris, to distinguish the ‘vulgar tongue’ from the Latin of the church and the learned; hence it gradually came to be the current denomination of the vernacular, applicable alike to any particular dialect, and generically to German as a whole.
  2. ^ American Heritage Dictionary: Pennsylvania Dutch: Dutch.
  3. ^ American Heritage Dictionary: Pennsylvania Dutch.

[edit] See also