DUTCH LANGUAGE

the Netherlandic (Netherlandish) language as spoken in The Netherlands, together with the same language in northern Belgium, which is popularly called Flemish. In the European Middle Ages, the language was called Dietsc, or Duutsc, historically equivalent to German Deutsch and meaning simply language of the people, as contrasted with Latin, which was the language of religion and learning. The form Duutsc was borrowed into English and gives modern Dutch. The official name of the language is Nederlands, or Netherlandic. In The Netherlands it is also called Hollands (Hollandish), reflecting the fact that the standard language is based largely on the dialect of the old province of Holland (now North Holland and South Holland). See Netherlandic language.