Setting the standard: norms and usage in Early and Late Modern Dutch (1550-1850)

Doctoral Thesis

This dissertation examines the relationship between language norms and language use in Early and Late Modern Dutch (1550–1850). During this period, efforts were made to standardise the Dutch language ‘from above’, with esteemed writers and grammarians defining what constituted ‘correct’ and ‘incorrect’ language use. Their choices were codified in normative works such as spelling guides, grammars, and schoolbooks, aiming to disseminate these norms to a wider audience. Traditional models often depict language standardisation as a linear process, assuming that codified norms are automatically adopted in language use. However, historical sociolinguistic research suggests otherwise. Instead of a direct influence on language use, grammarians primarily spread a standard language ideology in society, with the linguistic effects of standardisation often being subtle or even absent. This dissertation takes a diachronic approach, using systematic corpus analyses to investigate the extent to...Show moreThis dissertation examines the relationship between language norms and language use in Early and Late Modern Dutch (1550–1850). During this period, efforts were made to standardise the Dutch language ‘from above’, with esteemed writers and grammarians defining what constituted ‘correct’ and ‘incorrect’ language use. Their choices were codified in normative works such as spelling guides, grammars, and schoolbooks, aiming to disseminate these norms to a wider audience. Traditional models often depict language standardisation as a linear process, assuming that codified norms are automatically adopted in language use. However, historical sociolinguistic research suggests otherwise. Instead of a direct influence on language use, grammarians primarily spread a standard language ideology in society, with the linguistic effects of standardisation often being subtle or even absent. This dissertation takes a diachronic approach, using systematic corpus analyses to investigate the extent to which prescribed norms influenced actual written language use. By examining where, when, and how these norms impacted usage, it offers new insights into the implementation of language norms and the top-down standardisation of Dutch.Show less

Historical sociolinguistics

Language variation

Language change

Language standardisation

Standardisation 'from above'