English language in the Netherlands
English language in the Netherlands refers to the use of English in the Netherlands. Research states that about 86% of the Dutch population claims to be able to converse in English.[1] According to some, the main reasons for the high degree of English speakers is the country's small size, dependency on international trade, and the use of subtitles for foreign languages on television rather than dubbing.[2]
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[edit] History
Due to the small size of the Netherlands and the reliance on trading, the Dutch put strong emphasis on learning foreign languages. The Netherlands were liberated from the Germans by English speaking troops which boosted the importance and prestige of English language. In the next decades, English gradually increased in importance as a lingua franca and as a foreign language, at the expense of German and French. Nevertheless, German is much closer to Dutch than English and is similar to Dutch in many respects. Germany is also the most important trading partner of the Netherlands.
Especially in Amsterdam, visitors may get the impression that it is possible to live in the Netherlands for a long time without learning Dutch.
Nowadays, most important scholarly and scientific publications in the Netherlands are in English with the exception of government related publications.
Even Dutch who have excellent knowledge of English may have great difficulty to understand certain English accents, such as Scottish English.
[edit] English language education in the Netherlands
English is compulsory on all levels of the Dutch secondary education system. In addition there is/are:
- Many elementary schools teach English in the upper grades.
- Bilingual education (Dutch / English) in around 100 schools.
- Most university master's degrees are in English, whilst an increasingly number of bachelor's degrees is also.[3] In addition, many degrees that are taught in Dutch utilise English language material (e.g. books) and names.
[edit] English language television in the Netherlands
In addition to the availability of the British channels BBC One and Two and American CNN, many series broadcasted on Dutch channels are broadcasted in English (i.e. anglophone tv-series, documentaries) with Dutch subtitles. English language children's programs, however, are usually dubbed.
[edit] Dunglish
Dunglish (called steenkolenengels in Dutch translating to coal English) is a portmanteau of Dutch and English and a name for Dutch English. The word is often used pejoratively to refer to the mistakes native Dutch speakers make when speaking English.
[edit] Linguistic anglophobia and the English disease
Anglophobia, or more accurately linguistic anglophobia, within the European Dutch language area (i.e. the Netherlands and Flanders) has evolved out of schools and companies switching to English as medium of communication and a large number of English loanwords in the Dutch language. Consequentially this has led to some anglophobia with some groups advocating to dispose of all English loanwords.
English disease (Dutch: Engelse ziekte) is a pejorative term for the effect of the English language on the use of linguistic compounds in written Dutch. It's a part of the anglicisms (and sometimes americanisms) denoting the use of English words and expressions in other languages. Examples of the English disease are:
| Wrong use in Dutch | English equivalent | Right use in Dutch |
|---|---|---|
| IBM computer | IBM computer | IBM-computer |
| web pagina | web page | webpagina |
| vakantie baantje | holiday job | vakantiebaantje |
| taxi standplaatsen | taxi stand | taxistandplaatsen |
| schrijf cursus | writing course | schrijfcursus |
| informatie avond | information evening | informatieavond |
| fietsen stalling | bicycle shed | fietsenstalling |
| baby kleding | baby clothes | babykleding |
| eco was bal | eco wash ball | ecowasbal |
| communicatie deskundige | communication expert | communicatiedeskundige |
| yoghurt drank | yoghurt drink | yoghurtdrank |
| restauratie atelier | restoration studio | restauratieatelier |
| dames toiletten | ladies toilets | damestoiletten |
| heren toiletten | gentlemen's toilets | herentoiletten |
[edit] Notes
- ^ European Union
- ^ Cenoz J., Jessner U. (2000). "English in Europe: The acquisition of a third language". Multilingual Matters, Ltd.. http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=iaEGdFnQDJcC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=English+language+in+the+Netherlands&ots=av9-zsVtXG&sig=5MfgtIiKM_asNihtUH2S3fpyPXo#v=onepage&q=English%20language%20in%20the%20Netherlands&f=false. Retrieved 2009-09-04.
- ^ http://www.nrc.nl/international/article2187638.ece/English_takes_over_at_Dutch_universities
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Cursus Engels Dutch language article about use of English in science and scholarship] column in the Volkskrant by Bram Buunk 1996
- Talenkennis Dutch language column in the Volkskrant by Bram Buunk on 03 May 1997
- [1]
