Interesting Facts about the Dutch Language

Experienced tax lawyer Dennis John Olmstead has recently solved transaction issues with senior management as a consultant for Ray Dalio’s team and at Bridgewater Associates. Skilled in speaking several languages, Dennis Olmstead is fluent in Dutch.

Here are several unique facts about the language:

It’s the third most widely spoken Germanic language.
The two most common Germanic languages are German and English, but Dutch is a close third. In regard to the pronunciation and grammar of the Dutch language, it is described as being between German and English.

There aren’t cases in the nouns.
Despite being of the same family as German, Dutch does not capitalize some of its nouns. This makes it easier for learners. Further, Dutch only has two genders, whereas German has three (masculine, feminine, and neutral).

It’s not spoken only in Europe.
Belgium and the Netherlands have Dutch as their official language and are responsible for the majority of Dutch speakers, but the language extends beyond these two countries. Suriname, a country in South America, also recognizes Dutch as its official language, as do Aruba, Sint Maarten, and Curaçao.

Some English words are derived from Dutch.
Coleslaw and waffle are staple words in English, but they originated from the Dutch words “koolsla” and “wafel.” Apple, pear, red, and tomato are also similar in Dutch. Thanks to these similarities, English speakers have a head-start when learning Dutch.