Names for the Dutch language

The Netherlands has had different names over the centuries. The most important are:

Nederlands ( Dutch)
Nederduits (Low German )
Diets, Duits ( German )
Holland (Dutch)
Vlaams ( Flemish)
Hoog- Afrikaans ( Hoog- Afrikaans )

4.1 name for the Low German
4.2 Nederduits today

5.1 In the Netherlands
5.2 In Belgium

6.1 In the Romance languages
6.2 In Belgium

Preliminary note on spelling and variants

The Dutch adjectives with " sh" at the end ( " Nederlandsch ", " Duitsch ", etc.) are in the spelling, which was valid in the Netherlands until 1947. The "sh" was pronounced as " s" at least in the 20th century, the "ch" was there only by tradition. This " beautiful " comes from a Middle Dutch "sc ", probably the " sk " was pronounced as it is in the Scandinavian languages in this extension even today as is ( for example, the Danish word for German = Engelsk).

The "ui " in " Duits " was written in earlier centuries also "uy ". It goes back to a Middle Dutch "uu " which was pronounced something like the German long "ü". "ie" instead of " uu " is a southwestern dialect variant.

This explains why in the literature on this topic next " Duits " the forms " Duitsch ", " Duytsch ", " Duutsch ", " Duutsc ", " Dietsch " and " Dietsc " can give.

Þeudisk and theodiscus

The oldest known name for the Netherlands is the adjective þeudisk. This word is nowhere written down, but there is a Latin form of this word: theodiscus. It is believed that this name originated in the 6th century in the West Frankish territory at the headwaters of the Scheldt or in the 8th century at the court of the Carolingians. The latest we know of text in which appears the Latin form, is the Vita Sancti Trudonis.

The adjective þeudisk is derived from a Germanic noun þeudô, which means " the people." So Þeudisk means "people " as in " vernacular ". The Old High German diu diutisca Zunga and the Latin lingua theodisca not mean " German language " but " vernacular ", in contrast to the language of the learned, Latin. So Þeudisk meant not only " Dutch " - it had a very broad ( and vague ) meaning.

Notes:

The þ is reproduced for technical reasons as th. It is approximately pronounced like the English th. See also: Þ.
The eu in þeudisk was a diphthong and was about "eu" pronounced (not "oi ").

Latin alternatives

Later it was called the Dutch and German in Latin teutonicus and germanicus.

Þeudisk in the vernacular

In the Netherlands originated from the old þeudisk or from the Latin theodiscus duutsc the Middle Dutch variants and dietsc. Dietsc is the western form and duutsc the east and northeast. In the Rhineland, we used the form diutesch in Middle Low German dudesch.

The Old French Thiois is also a continuation of þeudisk. Thiois called the Germanic- speaking inhabitants of Flanders, Brabant and Limburg, and sometimes the Holland and Zeeland.

Dietsc The names and duutsc did not mean " German " but " Kontinentalwestgermanisch ". That is, they referred to the Dutch and the German (both in the modern sense ). They were used as a demarcation of their own language instead of the Romance languages , especially against the French.

It's been trying to prove that in Middle Dutch a significance difference existed between dietsc and duutsc. This, it said, referring to dietsc on the Dutch and duutsc in High German and Low German. This view has, however, can not generally prevail.

Dietsc and teutonicus disappeared in the county of Flanders in the course of the 13th century. In Flanders, the own language was now called Vlaamsch ( Flemish). In French texts from Brabant you can still find thiois, in French texts from Flanders, however Flamenc ( in modern French flamand ). The new name for the language in Flanders certainly depends the prosperity and self-confidence of the Flemish cities in the 13th and 14th centuries together (especially Brugge, Ghent and Ypres ).

In the remaining parts of the Netherlands was used dietsc longer. However, towards the end of the 15th century is dietsch displaced by Duitsch as the name of the vernacular.

This Duitsch the normal continuation of the Middle Dutch word is duutsc. The ui or uy is (at least in later times ) a diphthong, which is pronounced " OEj " approximately.

The English term for Dutch " Dutch" derives from " Duutsch " or " Duutsc ".

Nederlands ( Dutch)

At the end of the 15th century, the term appeared Nederlands ( Dutch) as the name for the popular language of the former Netherlands and the present-day northern Germany. This highlighted the distinction between nederlantsch and overlantsch ( in what was then German niderlendisch and oberle Ground). Originally Nederlands, therefore, had the meaning " Dutch or Low German ".

The oldest written text in which of Dutch is mentioned, is an incunabula from Gouda from 1482 ( " Drie blind danssen " ):

Another example is a translation of " Ship of Fools " from Lübeck from 1519:

The new distinction between overlantsch and nederlantsch was related to the invention of printing. The printer had to use a language for economic reasons, which was understood as possible by as many people. This one was aware of the linguistic differences between the north and south of the Dutch - German -speaking area.

In the 15th century the importance of the country name and Niderlant Nederland changed. The term is now covered an area that extended from Flanders and Brabant up to Kleve and Wesel.

That Niderlant and Nederland now got a more precise meaning had probably to do with the political unification of territories in present-day Belgium and the Netherlands today. These areas were united only under Burgundian domination ( Burgundian kingdom circle) and later under Habsburg rule. These areas were so even before the official independence (Peace of Münster, 1648), a kind of unity. This unit was often called Niderlant or Nyderlande ( the notation here is somewhat random ). Emperor Maximilian called his Dutch territories in his letters Nyderlande or noz pays d' EMBAS. The law firm of Charles V in 1515 used the term deze onze Nederlanden. The French name was pays- bas or pays d' EMBAS.

The popularity of the name Dutch and Nederlanden was probably related also to the struggle for independence against Spain in the Eighty Years' War. This event made the population of the Habsburg Netherlands once and was able to support its own and full name.

Even abroad, the ( former ) Netherlands were more frequently seen as a cohesive unit. In Italy, the Dutch subjects of the Spanish king were expressed by name since about 1550, who had not relate to a specific Dutch or Belgian area. They used the terms Fiamminghi, flandri or Belgae even if one was referring to or flames.

Nederduits (Low German )

In the mid-16th century, the name appeared Nederduits (Low German ). While still called in North Germany 's own language sassisch or nederlendisch, one used in the Netherlands as the name for their own language and more often the term Nederduits. In Latin texts from the 16th century can be found Almania Inferior and Germania inferior as a name for the Netherlands.

The earliest evidence of Nederduits dates from the year 1551 It's a songbook by Tielman Susato, Antwerp 1551, "Het ierste musyck boexken with four partyen ". :

In the second half of the 16th century, that is, three names were used in parallel:

Duits
Nederduits
Nederlands

In the mid-17th century, the use of the name Nederlands decreased, while the term Nederduits was used more frequently. This had the following reasons:

The Synod of Dordrecht introduces the name Nederduits Hervormde Kerk
In the vernacular, the term Duits for their own language lived on; the term Nederduits she made a clearer difference from the Germans ( Hoogduits )
Leading grammarians (such Moonen, Huydecooper and ten Kate ) used only the name Nederduits

Name for the Low German

The vernacular language of the north-eastern parts of present-day Netherlands was named Nedersassisch, Saxisch, Oostersch and Overlandsch.

Nederduits today

Today, the term in linguistic texts includes Nederduits (Low German ) dialects of Northern Germany. It has the same meaning as the English term Low German. In this case, the border acts as a linguistic border, despite the fact that the Dutch- Low German language border is rather vague. There is a dialect continuum.

19th century

In the Netherlands

The Dutch Constitution of 1815 indicates the country Koninkrijk der Nederlanden. In modern language, the singular Nederland has prevailed. The official name of the country, Nederlanden, also promoted the language name in Nederlands. Another factor is probably the German Linguistics of the 19th century have been, which applied the term to the Low German dialects of northern Germany. The term Nederduits was thus become imprecise and ambiguous. If we now Nederlands used instead Nederduits, you made it clear what was meant.

In Belgium

In Belgium, the term Nederduits was still in use much longer than in the Netherlands. A Nederduitsche Bloemlezing ( "Dutch Anthology "), nor was used as a textbook in Belgium in the early 20th century. Dutch as the name for the Dutch language was there by the Flemish movement and propagated by some intellectuals. In the vernacular said ( and says ), however, you Vlaams ( Flemish).

Vlaams ( Flemish)

In the Romance languages

The French word Flamenc ( flamand today ) originally referred to the area Vlaanderen. At the end of the 15th century, there was an extended meaning. Flamenc then also related to the language of Brabant, and finally to the Netherlands as a whole. Also in the southern Netherlands vernacular to Vlaams prevailed.

Thus appeared around 1500 in Antwerp a book with the title:

The French name has exerted influence on the other Romance language. Thus it was said in the 16th century in Spain Flandes ( "Netherlands" ) and flamenco ( " Dutch "). In Italy it was said at the time Fiandra ( "Netherlands" ) and Fiammingo ( " Dutch "). The inhabitants of the Netherlands were called there Fiamminghi or Belgae. This was true not only for the inhabitants of the county of Flanders, but also for the inhabitants of the rest of the Netherlands, for Walloons.

In Belgium

In the Spanish and Austrian Netherlands (later Belgium) - especially under French influence - Vlaams the fourth name of the Dutch language (besides Duits, Nederduits and Nederlands). Later Vlaams was also a topographical term, namely the name of the Dutch-speaking part of the Austrian Netherlands. In the Kingdom of Belgium (from 1830) were Vlaams and flamand the usual name for the Dutch.

Holland (Dutch)

In the middle of the 17th century emerged concepts such as Holland sealed (1650) and holland Chechen taal ( 1647) on. The Dutch dialects have played a central role in the emergence of the modern Dutch. That is why the Dutch dialect was often equated with the Netherlands and the Netherlands often called Holland, especially abroad and in the spoken language. In the written language, a distinction very well between Dutch and Dutch.

The terms and Vlaams Hollands as the name for the Dutch have then often taken care abroad for confusion, even with linguists.

Carolingian dynasty Bruges

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