Are you learning Dutch? Or by any chance, you’re a native speaker of Dutch? With millions of speakers worldwide, the Dutch language facts are not only beautiful and extraordinary in all its glory and it continues to evolve with time. It has a special relationship with other languages like French, English, German, and many other languages.
This confuses people living in the Netherlands and Belgium. Some people think that it is a very simple language but that’s not the case! Dutch is even stranger than you think. Recently, Dutch has joined the ranks as one of the top ten languages that the UK needs. Above all, over 24 million people speak it all across the globe, and is very similar to the extant language i.e. English.
For beginners, this language is very challenging and it boasts a pretty interesting lingual diversity that features quirky phrases, consonant clusters, and abstract pronunciations. If you’re someone aiming to learn the Dutch language, you should know about its origin and history. For your assistance, here are 12 dutch language facts that can help you understand this language origin and history properly. Let’s start!
Words from 12 Centuries Old
Among the dutch language facts, the first known example of written Dutch is said to have been written as a poem on a piece of paper, thought to test a writing implement during the 12th century. Though, some say that the first writing pieces of Dutch are either a book on Salic law in the 6th century or an inscription on a metal mount for a sword scabbard. It has a name i.e., ‘the Bergakker’ inscription. No matter, the Dutch language has sure come a long way.
Most spoken language
Dutch is a West Germanic language that is the national language of the Netherlands and the official language of the Flanders, the neighboring northern province of Belgium.