We are of the opinion, and we hope that you will concur with us, that the Dutch language is characterized by a few peculiarities that make studying it and using it in a professional context rather enjoyable. But because it is evident that we are going to have a preconceived notion, we have made the decision to put together a list of some of the most fascinating aspects of the Dutch language in order to assist you in coming to your own conclusion. This means that you will already be able to communicate in Dutch even before you begin studying it. There are a great number of terms in the English language that have their roots in Dutch, and the number of these words is far higher than you may assume. For instance, the term “snack” may have originated from the Middle Dutch word “snakken.” This is not only our favorite word; it is also our favorite item that has ever been. A great number of other well-known English terms, such as “iceberg” (ijsberg), “drug” (droge-vate), and “aloof” (lof), are derived from aspects of the Dutch language that have been used across all of the different historical periods. Speaking of time periods, the Dutch language has been around for quite some time… the first words written in Dutch are over 14 centuries old. Up until recently, it was believed that the first words written in Dutch were in a love poem that was written to test a writing implement that was used in the 12th century. We will spare you the sappy remark; the actual oldest piece of Dutch writing is either a book on salic law that dates back to the sixth century or the bergakker inscription, which is an inscription that was discovered on a metal mount for a sword scabbard and is believed to have been written in the fifth century. Since then, the Dutch language has, without a doubt, become much more advanced. On the other hand, you might argue the same thing about the length of certain Dutch words… a language that is highly competent. In point of fact, Dutch is a language that is capable of compounding nouns, which is simply the process of creating a monster word out of numerous single words. The term “multiple personality disorder,” which is derived from the Dutch phrase “meervoudigepersoonlijkheidsstoornis,” is an outstanding example of a Dutch compound word. However, there are surely many more complex words that originated from the Dutch language. In addition, those who are particularly enthusiastic about Dutch compound words will be thrilled to learn about the likes of the kindercarnavalsoptochtvoorbereidingswerkzaamhedenplan (preparation activities for a children’s carnival procession) and the revolutionary hottentottentententententoonstellingsterrein (exhibition ground for hottentot tents). We simply want to express our hope that you will never have to use any of these expressions in your new Dutch speaking employment, which you will most likely be able to achieve with our assistance. On the other hand, well, it may be a very modest sacrifice for the Dutch speaking role of your dreams.
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