Dutch language

Dutch is a West-Germanic language spoken by roughly 20 million people in the Netherlands, Belgium, Suriname, and the Netherlands Antilles. The standard language Algemeen Nederlands (lit. "General Dutch"), formerly called Algemeen Beschaafd Nederlands (ABN) (lit. "General Civilized Dutch"), is largely based on the Hollandic dialects spoken in the western Dutch provinces of North and South Holland, but with considerable influence from Flemish dialects spoken in Belgium. Flemish is not a separate language, but rather the designation of the Dutch dialects spoken in Belgium. Frisian is a closely-related but separate West-Germanic language spoken in the Dutch province of Friesland (Fris. Fryslân) and in a few small areas in northern Germany.

Traditionally, the Dutch language is divided into five major dialect groups:

• Hollandic, which includes the dialects spoken in North and South Holland, Utrecht and the southwestern portion of Gelderland.
• Saxon, which refers to the dialects spoken in the northeastern provinces of the Netherlands and which are closely related to Low German.
• Brabantic (or Brabantian), spoken in the Dutch province of North Brabant and the Belgian provinces of Antwerp and Flemish Brabant.
• Limburgic (or Limburgish), spoken in the Dutch province of Limburg and the Belgian province of Belgian Limburg.
• Flemish, spoken in the Belgian provinces of East and West Flanders.

The dialects of the Dutch province of Zeeland are often included in the Flemish group, though in reality they are halfway between Flemish and Hollandic (with the exception of the area Zeeland Flanders, where Flemish is spoken).

References

Adolphe van Loey. Schönfelds historische grammatica van het Nederlands. Klankleer, vormleer, woordvorming. 8th edition. Zutphen: Thieme, 1970.