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Dutch |
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| Language Notes |
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| Where spoken |
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The Netherlands, Belgium, Surinam, the Dutch Antilles and Aruba. In South Africa many people understand Dutch.
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| No. of Speakers |
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Over 20 million. |
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| Origin |
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Dutch is the official language of the Netherlands. It is also called Netherlandic. The name Dutch comes from the word Dietsc, or Duutsc, as the language was called in the Middle Ages. It meant "language of the people." In the Netherlands, it is also called Hollands - a reminder that the language evolved from the dialect of the old province of Holland. Dutch is a Germanic language of the Indo-European language family. The earliest documents in the Dutch language date from approximately the end of the 12th century. Of all major languages, Dutch is the closest to English.
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| Dialects/Variations |
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The Dutch language is spoken in both the Netherlands and in the northern part of Belgium ( Flanders). 'Flemish' is sometimes used as shorthand to describe the variant of Dutch used in Belgium. People are often confused about whether Flemish is a separate language, not least because Flemish people commonly refer to their language as Vlaams rather than Nederlands and Dutch people are fond of telling foreigners that whatever Flemings speak, it's certainly not the same language as they use. For all that, the language spoken in both the Netherlands and the northern part of Belgium is the same: Dutch (Nederlands). Nevertheless, the two variations have very distinctive 'flavours', just as the English used in Edinburgh sounds very different to that spoken in London.
Afrikaans developed from 17th century Dutch: The East India Company (VOC) chose the Cape of Good Hope as a resting place on the route to the Indies in the 17th century. On the long sea journeys there was a need for a settled station, where fresh food and drink could be taken on board, the sick could be left behind, etc. The first colonists in The Cape came from the southern part of the Netherlands, as can still be seen from certain details of modern Afrikaans. They were sailors and farmers, two groups with very different vocabularies and dialects. The native inhabitants of southern Africa were mostly the so-called Hottentots and Bushmen. From 1740 onwards the daily language in South Africa was no longer pure Dutch. |
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| Alphabet / Script |
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Roman Alphabet. The Dutch Alphabet has 26 letters. It uses the same alphabet as English. |
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| Interesting Facts |
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- Because Holland has long been a maritime nation, the Dutch have left an imprint on many of the world's languages. English words of Dutch origin include deck, yacht, brandy, maelstrom and cookie.
- The names of many places in New York reflect the old Dutch colonies - Brooklyn, Harlem, Flushing to mention a few.
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| Learn Dutch at Cambridge Institute |
Dutch Lessons
The Basic Dutch Course offers lessons specially designed for beginners and for those who intend to brush up their language skills. The course covers simple dialogue (with the aid of English translation), basic grammar, vocabulary and expressions. You will also learn about formal introductions and addressing people.
In each lesson, illustrations of the Dutch culture and customs will be presented, offering you a glimpse of their distinct lifestyle and diverse experiences.
his will allow you to have a better “feel” of the language as it is used in its native context. After completing the basic level, you have the option of progressing to our Intermediate Dutch Course.
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