West-Vlams
West Flemish
Indo-European (Germanic, West Germanic, Low Franconian, Dutch)
West Flemish is the Low Franconian variety spoken in the Belgian province of West Flanders, in French Flanders around Dunkirk, Cassel and Hazebrouck, and in the western part of Zeelandic Flanders. Its best-known trait is the complete loss of the velar fricatives /x, ɣ/, which merge with glottal /h/, so that goed 'good' is [hut] and speakers have no sound corresponding to Dutch g — with frequent hypercorrection in the other direction. It also preserves the pre-diphthongal vowels of Middle Dutch (Dutch huis, ijs, vuur appear as uus, ys, vier), forms plurals in -s more freely than Dutch, and has subject-pronoun doubling ('k èn ik 'I have') plus person-inflected yes and no (joak, nink). There is an active written tradition — the West Flemish Wikipedia even maintains its own house orthography, Standoardvlams — but Dutch alone is used in schooling and administration, and UNESCO classifies West Flemish as vulnerable.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in West Flemish
Sources
- en.wiktionary West Flemish lemmas (Category:West Flemish lemmas, 281 pages); vls.wikipedia "Verschillen Vlams, Ollands en West-Vlams" and "West-Vlams/Detail" town tables; Debrabandere, Frans 1999, Woordenboek van het West-Vlaams (standard dictionary; not online, not consulted)
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Indo-European (Germanic, West Germanic, Low Franconian, Dutch)
| Meaning | West Flemish | Belgian Dutch | Dutch | Low German | Limburgish | Afrikaans | Middle High German |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | woater /ˈwɔːtər/ | water /waːtər/ | water /ʋaːtər/ | Water /vɑːtɐ/ | water /vatər/ | water /vɑːtər/ | wazzer /ˈwatser/ |
| Fire | vier /viːr/ | vuur /vyːr/ | vuur /vyːr/ | Füer /fyːɐ/ | vuur /vyːr/ | vuur /fyːr/ | viur /viur/ |
| Sun | zunne /ˈzœnə/ | zon /zɔn/ | zon /zɔn/ | Sünn /zʏn/ | zón /zɔn/ | son /sɔn/ | sunne /ˈzunːə/ |
| Moon | moane /ˈmɔːnə/ | maan /maːn/ | maan /maːn/ | Maan /maːn/ | maon /maːʊn/ | maan /mɑːn/ | mâne /ˈmaːnə/ |
| Star | sterre /ˈstærə/ | ster /stɛr/ | ster /stɛr/ | Steern /steːrn/ | sjter /ʃtɛr/ | ster /stɛr/ | sterne /ˈstɛrnə/ |
| Night | nacht /nɑxt/ | nacht /nɑxt/ | nacht /nɑxt/ | Nacht /naxt/ | nach /nax/ | nag /nax/ | naht /naxt/ |
| Rain | regen /ˈreːhən/ | regen /ˈreːɣən/ | regen /ˈreːɣən/ | Regen /ˈreːɡn̩/ | Rään /rɛːn/ | reën /ˈrɪən/ | regen /ˈreɡən/ |
| Snow | snêeuw /sneːw/ | sneeuw /sneːw/ | sneeuw /sneːw/ | Snee /sneː/ | sjnee /ʃneː/ | sneeu /snɪu/ | snē /sneː/ |
| Wind | wind /wɪnt/ | wind /wɪnt/ | wind /ʋɪnt/ | Wind /vɪnt/ | wind /vɪnt/ | wind /vəint/ | wint /wɪnt/ |
| Earth | eirde /ˈeːrdə/ | aarde /ˈaːrdə/ | aarde /ˈaːrdə/ | Eer /eːɐ/ | eerd /eːrt/ | aarde /ˈɑːrdə/ | erde /ˈɛrdə/ |
| Stone | steen /steːn/ | steen /steːn/ | steen /steːn/ | Steen /steːn/ | steen /steːn/ | klip /klip/ | stein /stɛin/ |
| Mountain | berg /bɛrx/ | berg /bɛrx/ | berg /bɛrx/ | Barg /barx/ | berg /ˈbɛrəç/ | berg /bɛrx/ | berc /bɛrk/ |
| Sea | zêe /zeː/ | zee /zeː/ | zee /zeː/ | See /zeː/ | zieë /ziə/ | see /sɪə/ | mer /mɛr/ |
| Mother | moeder /ˈmudər/ | moeder /mudər/ | moeder /mudər/ | Moder /moːdɐ/ | mam /mam/ | moeder /ˈmudər/ | muoter /ˈmuoːtər/ |
| Father | voader /ˈvɔːdər/ | vader /vaːdər/ | vader /vaːdər/ | Vader /fɑːdɐ/ | pap /pap/ | vader /ˈfɑːdər/ | vater /ˈfatər/ |
| Daughter | dochter /ˈdɔxtər/ | dochter /ˈdɔxtər/ | dochter /ˈdɔxtər/ | Dochter /dɔxtɐ/ | dochter /dɔxtər/ | dogter /ˈdɔxtər/ | tohter /ˈtoxtər/ |
| I | ik /ɛk/ | ik /ɪk/ | ik /ɪk/ | ik /ɪk/ | ich /ɪç/ | ek /ɛk/ | ich /ix/ |
| You | gie /hi/ | gij /ɣɛi/ | jij /jɛi/ | du /duː/ | doe /du/ | jy /jəi/ | dû /duː/ |
| We | wieder /ˈwidər/ | wij /wɛi/ | wij /ʋɛi/ | wi /viː/ | veer /veːr/ | ons /ɔns/ | wir /wir/ |
| Name | noame /ˈnɔːmə/ | naam /naːm/ | naam /naːm/ | Naam /naːm/ | naam /naːm/ | naam /nɑːm/ | name /ˈnamə/ |
| Head | kop /kɔp/ | hoofd /ɦoːft/ | hoofd /ɦoːft/ | Kopp /kɔp/ | kop /kɔp/ | kop /kɔp/ | houbet /ˈhoubət/ |
| Eye | ooge /ˈoːhə/ | oog /oːx/ | oog /oːx/ | Oog /oːx/ | oug /ɔux/ | oog /oːx/ | ouge /ˈouɡə/ |
| Ear | oor /oːr/ | oor /oːr/ | oor /oːr/ | Ohr /oːr/ | oear /uər/ | oor /uər/ | ōre /ˈoːrə/ |
| Nose | neuze /ˈnøːzə/ | neus /nøːs/ | neus /nøːs/ | Nees /neːs/ | naas /naːs/ | neus /nɪəs/ | nase /nazə/ |
| Mouth | mound /mont/ | mond /mɔnt/ | mond /mɔnt/ | Muul /muːl/ | móndj /mʊɲɟ/ | mond /mɔnt/ | munt /munt/ |
| Tooth | tand /tɑnt/ | tand /tɑnt/ | tand /tɑnt/ | Tähn /tɛːn/ | tandj /tantʃ/ | tand /tant/ | zan /tsan/ |
| Tongue | toenge /ˈtuŋə/ | tong /tɔŋ/ | tong /tɔŋ/ | Tung /tʊŋ/ | tóng /tɔŋ/ | tong /tɔŋ/ | zunge /ˈtsuŋɡə/ |
| Hand | and /ɑnt/ | hand /ɦɑnt/ | hand /ɦɑnt/ | Hand /hant/ | handj /hanʲ/ | hand /ɦant/ | hant /hant/ |
| Foot | voet /vut/ | voet /vut/ | voet /vut/ | Foot /fɔʊ̯t/ | voot /voːt/ | voet /fut/ | vuoz /ˈvuo̯s/ |
| Heart | erte /ˈærtə/ | hart /ɦɑrt/ | hart /ɦɑrt/ | Hart /haɐt/ | hart /hart/ | hart /ɦart/ | herze /ˈhertsə/ |
| Bone | been /bɛːn/ | bot /bɔt/ | bot /bɔt/ | Knaken /ˈknaːkən/ | knaok /knɔːk/ | been /bɪən/ | bein /bein/ |
| Blood | bloed /blut/ | bloed /blut/ | bloed /blut/ | Bloot /bloːt/ | blood /bloːt/ | bloed /blut/ | bluot /bluot/ |
| Love | liefde /ˈliːvdə/ | liefde /lifdə/ | liefde /lifdə/ | Leev /leːf/ | leefde /leːfdə/ | liefde /ˈlifdə/ | minne /ˈminːə/ |
| Tree | boom /boːm/ | boom /boːm/ | boom /boːm/ | Boom /boːm/ | boum /bʌʊm/ | boom /boːm/ | boum /boum/ |
| Dog | hound /hont/ | hond /ɦɔnt/ | hond /ɦɔnt/ | Hund /hʊnt/ | hóndj /hɔnʲ/ | hond /ɦɔnt/ | hunt /hunt/ |
| Cat | katte /ˈkɑtə/ | kat /kɑt/ | kat /kɑt/ | Katt /kat/ | kat /kat/ | kat /kat/ | katze /ˈkatsə/ |
| Fish | vis /vɪs/ | vis /vɪs/ | vis /vɪs/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | vis /vɪs/ | vis /fəs/ | visch /viʃ/ |
| Bird | veugel /vøːhəl/ | vogel /ˈvoːɣəl/ | vogel /ˈvoːɣəl/ | Vagel /ˈfaːɣəl/ | veugel /ˈvøːɣəl/ | voël /fuəl/ | vogel /ˈfoɡəl/ |
| Egg | ei /ɛi/ | ei /ɛi/ | ei /ɛi/ | Ei /ai/ | ei /ɛi/ | eier /ˈɛiər/ | ei /ɛi/ |
| Bear | beir /beːr/ | beer /beːr/ | beer /beːr/ | Boor /boːr/ | beer /beːr/ | beer /bɪər/ | ber /bɛr/ |
| Horse | peird /peːrt/ | paard /paːrt/ | paard /paːrt/ | Peerd /peːrt/ | Péërt /peə̯rt/ | perd /pɛrt/ | ros /rɔs/ |
| House | uus /ʏːs/ | huis /ɦœys/ | huis /ɦœʏs/ | Huus /huːs/ | hoes /huːs/ | huis /ɦœɪs/ | hûs /huːs/ |
| Milk | melk /mɛlk/ | melk /mɛlk/ | melk /mɛlk/ | Melk /mɛlk/ | melk /mɛlk/ | melk /mɛlk/ | milch /milç/ |
| Honey | zêem /zeːm/ | honing /ˈɦoːnɪŋ/ | honing /ˈɦoːnɪŋ/ | Honnig /ˈhɔnɪç/ | honing /ˈhoːnɪŋ/ | heuning /ˈɦɪønɪŋ/ | honec /ˈhonɛk/ |
| Salt | zout /zɔut/ | zout /zɔut/ | zout /zʌut/ | Solt /zɔlt/ | zout /zɔut/ | sout /səut/ | salz /salts/ |
| Wine | wyn /win/ | wijn /wɛin/ | wijn /ʋɛin/ | Wien /viːn/ | wien /ʋiːn/ | wyn /vəin/ | wīn /viːn/ |
| Iron | yzer /ˈiːzər/ | ijzer /ˈɛizər/ | ijzer /ˈɛizər/ | Iesen /ˈiːzn̩/ | iezer /ˈiːzər/ | yster /ˈəistər/ | īsen /ˈiːzən/ |
| Wheel | wiel /wiːl/ | wiel /wiːl/ | wiel /ʋiːl/ | Rad /raːt/ | wiel /ʋiːl/ | wiel /vil/ | rat /rat/ |
| Eat | eetn /ˈeːtn̩/ | eten /eːtən/ | eten /eːtə/ | eten /eːtn̩/ | ete /eːtə/ | eet /ɪət/ | ezzen /ˈetsən/ |
| Drink | drienkn /ˈdriŋkn̩/ | drinken /drɪŋkən/ | drinken /drɪŋkə/ | drinken /drɪŋkn̩/ | drinke /drɪŋkə/ | drink /drɪŋk/ | trinken /ˈtrinkən/ |
| Sleep | sloapn /sloːpn̩/ | slapen /ˈslaːpən/ | slapen /ˈslaːpə/ | slapen /ˈslaːpn̩/ | slaope /ˈslɔːpə/ | slaap /slɑːp/ | slāfen /ˈslɑːfən/ |
| One | êen /eːn/ | een /eːn/ | een /eːn/ | een /eːn/ | eine /ɛɪnə/ | een /ɪən/ | ein /ein/ |
| Two | twêe /tweː/ | twee /tweː/ | twee /tʋeː/ | twee /tveː/ | twee /tweː/ | twee /tʋɪə/ | zwei /tsweɪ/ |
| Three | drie /driː/ | drie /driː/ | drie /driː/ | dree /dreː/ | drie /driː/ | drie /driː/ | drî /driː/ |
| Five | vuuf /vyːf/ | vijf /vɛif/ | vijf /vɛif/ | fief /fiːf/ | vief /viːf/ | vyf /fəif/ | vünf /fynf/ |
| Hello | goeiendag /ˌhujənˈdɑh/ | hallo /ɦɑloː/ | hallo /ɦɑloː/ | Moin /mɔɪn/ | hallo /halo/ | hallo /ɦaˈlo/ | gegrüezet /ɡəˈɡryːətsət/ |
| Thank you | merci /mɛrˈsi/ | dank je /dɑŋk jə/ | dank je /dɑŋk jə/ | Dankschöön /daŋkʃøːn/ | merci /mɛrsi/ | dankie /ˈdaŋki/ | danc /daŋk/ |
| Good | goed /hut/ | goed /ɣut/ | goed /ɣut/ | goot /ɡoːt/ | good /ɡoːt/ | goed /xut/ | guot /ɡuoːt/ |
| New | nieuw /niːw/ | nieuw /niːw/ | nieuw /niːw/ | nee /neː/ | nuuj /nyːj/ | nuut /nyːt/ | niuwe /ˈniuwə/ |
| Red | rood /roːt/ | rood /roːt/ | rood /roːt/ | root /roːt/ | road /roːt/ | rooi /roːi/ | rôt /roːt/ |
| White | wit /wit/ | wit /wɪt/ | wit /ʋɪt/ | witt /vɪt/ | wit /ʋɪt/ | wit /vət/ | wīz /viːts/ |
| Black | zwort /zwɔrt/ | zwart /zwɑrt/ | zwart /zʋɑrt/ | swart /svart/ | zwart /zʋart/ | swart /svart/ | swarz /svarts/ |
| Green | groene /ˈhrunə/ | groen /ɣrun/ | groen /ɣrun/ | gröön /ɡrøːn/ | greun /ɡrøːn/ | groen /xrun/ | grüene /ɡryənə/ |
| Cuckoo | koekoek /ˈkukuk/ | koekoek /ˈkukuk/ | koekoek /ˈkukuk/ | Kukuk /ˈkuːkuk/ | kókkók /ˈkoːkoːk/ | koekoek /ˈkukuk/ | gouch /ˈɡou̯x/ |
| Computer | computer /kɔmˈpjutər/ | computer /kɔmˈpjutər/ | computer /kɔmˈpjutər/ | Computer /kɔmˈpjuːtɐ/ | computer /kɔmˈpjuːtər/ | rekenaar /ˈreːkənɑːr/ | — |
| Tea | thee /teː/ | thee /teː/ | thee /teː/ | Tee /teː/ | tei /tɛi/ | tee /tɪə/ | — |
| Coffee | kaffie /ˈkɑfi/ | koffie /ˈkɔfi/ | koffie /ˈkɔfi/ | Koffie /ˈkɔfi/ | koffie /ˈkɔfi/ | koffie /ˈkɔfi/ | — |
| Sugar | suyker /ˈsykər/ | suiker /ˈsœykər/ | suiker /ˈsœʏkər/ | Sucker /ˈzʊkɐ/ | sókker /ˈsɔkər/ | suiker /ˈsœɪkər/ | — |
| Orange | sinaasappel /ˈsinɑsɑpəl/ | sinaasappel /ˈsinɑsɑpəl/ | sinaasappel /ˈsinɑsɑpəl/ | Apelsien /apəlˈziːn/ | sinaasappel /ˈsinaːsapəl/ | lemoen /ləˈmun/ | — |
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