English in the Netherlands

English language in the Netherlands refers to the use of the English language in the Netherlands. Research states that between 90%[1] and 93%[2] of the Dutch population claims to be able to converse in English. 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 audio dubbing.[3] Occupations which require a complex knowledge of the English language, such as those in aviation and the sciences, are also abundant in the Netherlands. Furthermore, it is (besides Dutch) an official language of the municipality of Amsterdam [4] and the Caribbean municipalities of Saba and Sint Eustatius.[5]

History

Various explanations contribute to the popularity of English in the Netherlands. Due to the small size and population of the Netherlands, and hundreds of years of having a trade and commerce economy, particularly between mainland Europe and the United Kingdom, the Dutch put strong emphasis on learning English and other foreign languages, especially German. The Netherlands was also liberated from the Germans by English speaking troops which boosted the status of the English language. In the following decades, with American-dominated globalization, English gradually increased in importance as a lingua franca, at the expense of German and French, which both lost popularity as secondary languages in the later 20th century. This is in spite of the fact that German is much closer to Dutch than English, and that Germany is the most important trade partner of the Netherlands. Nevertheless, knowledge of more than one foreign language is still widespread compared to other states of the European Union. 70% of the population can speak German and about a fourth can speak French.

In Amsterdam, in particular, visitors may get the impression that it is possible to live in the Netherlands for a long time without learning Dutch. A substantial number of the inhabitants of Amsterdam have English as their native language (mostly British and North American immigrants), however most of them make an effort to learn at least some Dutch. Nevertheless, in and around Amsterdam one may find announcements, traffic signs and advertisements in both Dutch and English, or even in English only (as in Schiphol Airport). Amsterdam however already has had an English speaking community for hundreds of years. A church worshipping in English, the English Reformed Church was reopened for worship in 1607.[6]

Nowadays, most important scholarly and scientific publications in the Netherlands are in English with the exception of government related and legal publications.

English language education in the Netherlands

English is compulsory on all levels of the Dutch secondary education system. In addition:

English language television in the Netherlands

In addition to the availability of the British channels BBC One, Two and World, the American CNN and the English edition of Al Jazeera, many programmes broadcast on Dutch channels are broadcast in English with Dutch subtitles.[9] English language children's programmes, however, are usually dubbed. Dubbed commercials, films and TV programmes (apart from animations and cartoons) have often come to be despised by the Dutch public. People very much prefer these to be broadcast with subtitles, or even with no form of translation whatsoever.

Apart from this, there are a few television stations broadcasting in English, targeting the English speaking community of the Netherlands, such as AF-TV, or dedicating large portions of airtime to programming in English, such as RTV7 and Amsterdam local TV channel Salto 1. (See also: Television in the Netherlands)

Dunglish

Main article: Dunglish

Dunglish (called steenkolenengels in Dutch translating to coal English) is a portmanteau of Dutch and English and a term often used pejoratively to refer to the mistakes native Dutch speakers make when speaking English.

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. The anglicisms (and sometimes Americanisms) enter the written language as a result of being exposed to English words and expressions.

Notes

  1. ↑ European Union
  2. ↑ "English in the Netherlands: Functions, forms and attitudes" p. 316 and onwards
  3. ↑ Cenoz J., Jessner U. (2000). tUH2S3fpyPXo#v=onepage&q=English%20language%20in%20the%20Netherlands&f=false English in Europe: The acquisition of a third language Check |url= value (help). Multilingual Matters, Ltd. Retrieved 2009-09-04.
  4. ↑ http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/article20477295.ece
  5. ↑ http://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0028063/
  6. ↑ History of the English Reformed Church
  7. ↑ History of the Department of English at the University of Groningen
  8. ↑ http://www.nrc.nl/international/article2187638.ece/English_takes_over_at_Dutch_universities
  9. ↑ English in Europe: The Acquisition of a Third Language, Jasone Cenoz, Ulrike Jessner, Multilingual Matters, 2000, page 223

See also

External links

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