The Influence of the Dutch Language on English

As cultures mix and immigrants find new homelands around the world, languages often blend together to give rise to new dialects, phraseologies and words. In the United States, English and Dutch have had an interesting relationship for over four centuries. The Dutch language has had an influence on American English due to the numerous Dutch settlers that have populated much of the country. In this article, we will explore the history of the Dutch influence on English and examine the types of words used in American English that are derived from Dutch.

Historical Background

The Dutch first touched the shores of the United States in the 1600s, when the Dutch colony of New Netherland was established in present-day New York. The Dutch settlement of New Netherland spanned parts of modern-day New York, New Jersey, Delaware and a few other states. It was settled by the Dutch West India Company and soon provided a foothold for the Dutch trade presence in the burgeoning new world. Although the colony was eventually ceded over to the British in 1664 and the Dutch presence in the area diminished, the imprint of Dutch lingered on in the English spoken in the region.

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, more Dutch immigrants began to arrive in the United States. These immigrants were generally fleeing economic and political turmoil in the Netherlands and many of them settled in the middle section of the country around present-day Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Members of several Protestant sects, many of these new Dutch immigrants were of Germanic origin and spoke a version of Dutch (or Flemish) that was possibly an intermediate form between modern Dutch and modern German.

Dutch and English Similarities

The close proximity of the Netherlands to England has led to many similar words between the two languages. Many of these words were also similar enough to survive the transition from Old English to Middle English that took place in the latter half of the 11th century. Many of the words that we still use today have their roots in the language spoken in the Netherlands at that time. As such, both the Dutch and English languages share a large number of common words and can be considered as distant relatives.

The closeness between the two languages can be seen in the number of same-meaning words that can be used in both languages. Examples of pairs of words that can be used in both English and Dutch include ‘buy’ and ‘kopen’, ‘sleep’ and ‘slapen’, and ‘play’ and ‘spelen’. These words can be used interchangeably with little difference in senses between the two languages.

Special Cases

There are a number of words that were derived from Dutch, but are now exclusively used in American English. Many of these words came about due to the mixing of the language of the Dutch settlers with 17th- and 18th-century English in the areas they settled. An example of such a word is ‘cookie’, which came from the Dutch word ‘koekje’. The word ‘sleigh’ is also derived from a Dutch word, the Dutch word ‘slee’ meaning ‘sled’.

Another interesting influence of the Dutch on American English is in the names of towns in the United States. In the United States, numerous towns were founded by Dutch settlers and these towns were named after Dutch cities or were given Dutch names. Some of these towns are Harlem (Harsen) in New York, Staten Island (‘Staten Eylandt’) in New York, Otsego (Otsego) in Michigan, and Zeeland (‘Seeland’) in Michigan.

Dutch in American English Vocabulary

The words of Dutch origin used in American English are highly concentrated in certain areas. Many of the words that have been derived from Dutch are related to professions and trades, such as ‘boss’, ‘barge’, ‘sloop’, ‘dock’, ‘punch’, ‘rook’, and ‘rake’. Other words related to Dutch culture and traditions that have become part of the American English vocabulary include ‘cookie’, ‘pannekoeken’, ‘stool’, ‘caucus’, and ‘Sinterklaas’.
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In addition to the words derived directly from Dutch, several phrases used in American English are of Dutch origin. Examples of phrases of Dutch origin in American English include ‘good riddance’, ‘flat broke’, ‘tough luck’, and ‘shaken, not stirred’.

Conclusion

The influence of the Dutch language on American English cannot be understated. The language of the Dutch settlers in the 17th century has shaped the language spoken in the United States today in many interesting ways. From words and phrases to place names, Dutch has been an integral part of American culture since the earliest days of the American colonies.
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