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Gender neutral language in Dutch: Difference between revisions

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Gender neutral language in Dutch (edit)

Revision as of 14:18, 8 March 2026

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→‎Not official, still very common use genderneutral pronouns
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==Pronouns==
==Pronouns==
=== Overview ===
Official, <u>official in some language circles</u>, ''synthetic''
Sorted 1st-last based on most use to least popular.
{| class="wikitable"
|+Gender neutral pronouns in Dutch (all singular)
|Grammatical gender
|nom.
|accus.
|poss.
|refl. poss
|refl. nom
|obj. nom
|obj. poss.
|refl.
|-
!f
!she
!her
!her
!hers
!~its
!who
!whose
!herself
|-
|
|zij
|haar
|haar
|het hare
|zich
|wie
|wiens
|zichzelf
|-
!m
!he
!him
!his
!his
!
!
!
!himself
|-
|
|hij
|hem
|zijn
|het zijne
|zich
|wie
|wiens
|zichzelf
|-
!x
!they, who, that
!them, that person
!their, that person's
!theirs
!
!
!
!themself
|-
|
|<u>die</u>, ''hen, ze''
|diegene, ''hen, die''
|de<sup>1</sup>,diens, <u>hun</u>
|van diegene'', van hen, het hunne''
|zich
|wie
|wiens
|zichzelf
|-
!Objects, concepts and non-domestic animals (traditionally)
!it
!its
!it
!its own, for it
!
!which
!of which
!itself
|-
|
|het
|hem, ''het''
|zijn, een<sup>2</sup>
|zijn eigen, <u>hun eigen</u>
|zich, het, dat
|dat, die, dit, deze
|waarvan, <u>wiens</u> (personifying)
|hetgeen, datgeen, het zelf
|}
<sup>1</sup>de (the) can be used to avoid pronoun use in casual ways, for example when the listener has neutralsceptic views; "Jan is ''de'' portemonnee vergeten" (Jan forgot ''the'' wallet).
<sup>2</sup>een (a or an) can be used in the same sense; singular "Friesland heeft een eigen taal" (Friesland has ''an'' own language); plural "Ieder gebouw heeft ''een'' eigen voorziening" (every building has ''an'' own provision)
=== '''Use of name''' ===
Like in English, repeating someone's name in third person is very natural to avoid pronoun use. Just like one would for two females or for two females; using pronouns without clear reference to who is usually the prime reason to use names. In genderneutral speech, this problem is very regular.
=== '''Use of -'s, -s and -'''' ===
Unlike English, Dutch does not require each name to add an -s to when creating a possesive marker. Because of different pronunciation rules, names that end with a-, e-, i-, o-, u-, or y- need an -'s when making posessive. When the name ends at an s-, only an ''<nowiki/>''' is marked. 
"Ik heb op Hanna's hond gepast." (I watched over Hannas dog)
"Ricky's eerste dans vanavond!" (Rickys first dance tonight!)
"De paus' aankondiging sprak dat katholieke priesters nu ook homohuwelijken mogen zegen." (The Pope's announcement stated that Catholic priests are now also permitted to bless same-sex marriages.)
=== '''Official use''' ===
The Dutch language does not have any official gender-neutral pronouns, although [[nonbinary]] people have adopted other sets of pre-existing pronouns, as well as [[neopronouns]], to work around this issue. A survey by Transgender Netwerk Nederland (''Transgender Network Netherlands'') among 500 people showed that '''hen / hen / hun''' ("they/them/theirs") was in that research the most popular pronoun set, although other options suggested to include ''die'' ("that/who") <ref>https://www.transgendernetwerk.nl/non-binair-voornaamwoord-uitslag/ [https://web.archive.org/web/20230520060910/https://www.transgendernetwerk.nl/non-binair-voornaamwoord-uitslag/ Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref>, making '''die / hen / hun'''. Alternatively, '''die / die / diens''' is also an option used. Various other inflections can also be replaced by the corresponding form of "die", depending on the individual's preferences and how natural the sentence sounds in the person's regiolect. For example, some might prefer '''die / hen / diens''' to distinguish the meaning of die and hen.
The Dutch language does not have any official gender-neutral pronouns, although [[nonbinary]] people have adopted other sets of pre-existing pronouns, as well as [[neopronouns]], to work around this issue. A survey by Transgender Netwerk Nederland (''Transgender Network Netherlands'') among 500 people showed that '''hen / hen / hun''' ("they/them/theirs") was in that research the most popular pronoun set, although other options suggested to include ''die'' ("that/who") <ref>https://www.transgendernetwerk.nl/non-binair-voornaamwoord-uitslag/ [https://web.archive.org/web/20230520060910/https://www.transgendernetwerk.nl/non-binair-voornaamwoord-uitslag/ Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref>, making '''die / hen / hun'''. Alternatively, '''die / die / diens''' is also an option used. Various other inflections can also be replaced by the corresponding form of "die", depending on the individual's preferences and how natural the sentence sounds in the person's regiolect. For example, some might prefer '''die / hen / diens''' to distinguish the meaning of die and hen.


When spoken, "hen" can really sound like "hem" (him). Therefore the correct pronounciation is really essential to differentiate someone's preferences.


The pronoun "die" is also a normal genderneutral pronoun in the dialects spoken in regions like Twente, de Achterhoek and Drenthe, though in some specific regions only meaning "he". Sometimes "die" is even written as pronounced /tie/, for example when following a word ending with a /d/ or /t/ sound. (Ex. "Den hat tie dat nie meui'n zegg'n", "Then they shouldn't have said that.")  [https://www.mijnwoordenboek.nl/dialect/Twents]
When spoken, "hen" can really sound like "hem" (him). Therefore the correct pronounciation is really essential to differentiate between ''hen'' and ''hem''.


The pronoun "die" is also a normal genderneutral pronoun in the dialects spoken in regions like Twente, de Achterhoek and Drenthe, though in some specific regions only meaning "he". Sometimes "die" is even written as pronounced /tie/, for example when following a word ending with a /d/ or /t/ sound. (Ex. "Den hat tie dat nie meui'n zegg'n", "Then they shouldn't have said that.")  [https://www.mijnwoordenboek.nl/dialect/Twents] Also among ex-colonial migrants, '''die''' is used a lot in common language (as Papiamento and Malay languages don't use gendered pronouns, and, coincidentally, the pronouns for singular they in both those language groups look like ''die''; ''e'' (pronounced /''ei''/) in Papiamento, ''dia'' in Malay languages, variations exist.)


The use of genderneutral pronouns is also increasingly adopted by certain progessive cis people, to increase usage with the goal of normalizing these words. Others could for example choose to use neutral pronouns on just anyone, sometimes with the exception of people who put pressure on the fact that they want to be called a he or she. This idea is not meant to assume that everyone is genderqueer, but rather to assume that genderneutral pronouns are norm and genderized pronouns are rather something archaic. This process is, however, slow, keeping in mind that genderneutral pronoun options are still not known to all citizens (see #Use of gender and genus in official documents and education).
 
The use of genderneutral pronouns is also increasingly adopted by [[Gender nihilism|gender nihilists]], to increase usage with the goal of normalizing these words. Others could for example choose to use neutral pronouns on just anyone. This idea is not meant to assume that everyone is genderqueer, but rather to assume that genderneutral pronouns are norm and genderized pronouns are rather something archaic. This process is, however, slow, keeping in mind that genderneutral pronoun options are still not known to all citizens (see #Use of gender and genus in official documents and education).


Arguments for '''hen''' as first person:
Arguments for '''hen''' as first person:
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-Die is already used in east-Dutch dialects as a genderneutral pronoun.
-Die is already used in east-Dutch dialects as a genderneutral pronoun.


-Die looks like the Indonesian genderneutral pronoun 'Dia', considering the reflection of descendants of ex-colonies.
-Die is already in use in some ex-colonial migrant families, primarily those whose tongue is not natively Dutch.  
 
-Die also comes close to the Papiamento genderneutral pronoun 'e', (pronounced /ei/), considering the reflection of descendants of ex-colonies.


Arguments against '''die''' as first person:
Arguments against '''die''' as first person:
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-Die already has two other official uses: that and who.
-Die already has two other official uses: that and who.


-In a few dialect regions, die is used as a male pronoun.   
-In a few dialect regions, die is used as a substitute for the male pronoun ''hij''.   


-It does not sound natural, primarily to native Dutch people from the Randstad and from Friesland.
-It does not sound natural, primarily to native Dutch people from the Randstad and from Friesland.
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|-
|-
|Nominative
|Nominative
|Wanneer ik iemand een grap vertel, lacht die/hen.
|Wanneer ik iemand een grap vertel, lacht die(gene).
|-
|-
|Accusative
|Accusative
|Wanneer ik een vriend begroet, geef ik die/hen een knuffel.
|Wanneer ik een vriend begroet, geef ik hen een knuffel.
|-
|-
|Pronominal possessive
|Pronominal possessive
|Wanneer iemand niet naar de kapper gaat, wordt diens/hun haar lang.
|Wanneer iemand niet naar de kapper gaat, wordt diens haar lang.
|-
|-
|Predicative possesive
|Predicative possesive
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===Use of "ze"===
===Use of "ze"===
Use of "ze" is also possible in most cases, its use generally considered informal<ref>https://taaladvies.net/taal/advies/vraag/374 [https://web.archive.org/web/20220322025839/https://taaladvies.net/taal/advies/vraag/374 Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref>. It works the same as "they" in English, you use it as if you were referring to a group of people and conjugate the verb accordingly.
Use of "ze" is also possible in most cases, altough its use generally considered informal<ref>https://taaladvies.net/taal/advies/vraag/374 [https://web.archive.org/web/20220322025839/https://taaladvies.net/taal/advies/vraag/374 Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref>. It works the same as "they" in English, you use it as if you were referring to a group of people and conjugate the verb accordingly.


There is discussion around the use of "ze", since the word for she is also "ze". Some would argue that this is easy to distinct since the verb changes in plural form, too. Thus, making it easier to differentiate.
There is discussion around the use of "ze", since the word for she is also "ze". Some would argue that this is easy to distinct since the verb changes in plural form, too. Thus, making it easier to differentiate.
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'''zelf''' > self  
'''zelf''' > self  


'''het hunne''' > theirs.  
'''het hunne''' (officially plural) > theirs.  
 
'''diegene''' > that person
 
=== '''Not official, still very commonly used genderneutral pronouns''' ===
'''hun (singular) (official: zijn)''' > their (sing.)
 
example: iedereen heeft hun eigen voorkeur (everyone has their own preference).
 
'''een (official: zijn)'''> its
 
singular "Friesland heeft een eigen taal" (Friesland has ''an'' own language);
 
plural "Ieder gebouw heeft ''een'' eigen voorziening" (every building has ''an'' own provision)


=== '''Not official, still very common use genderneutral pronouns''' ===
'''de''' '''(official: zijn, haar or diens)''' > their
'''hun (singular)''' > their (sing.)


example: iedereen heeft hun eigen voorkeur. // everyone has their own preference.
Jan is ''de'' portemonnee vergeten" (Jan forgot ''the'' wallet).


official use: "zijn" (his), or "zijn of haar" (his or her)
Iedereen heeft een eigen voorkeur (everyone has their own preference).


==Family and relationship terms==
==Family and relationship terms==
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