Amerikaens

Amerikaens (Dutch:Amerikaans) is a West Germanic language spoken in New Netherland, Tussenland, the Amerikaanse Free State, South Tussenland and, to a lesser extent, Mexico and Opdamsland. It evolved from the Dutch vernacular of Holland (Hollandic dialect) spoken by the Dutch settlers in North America, where it gradually began to develop distinguishing characteristics in the course of the 18th century. Hence, it is a daughter language of Dutch, and the youngest of the Germanic languages as well as one of the youngest languages in general.

The Amerikaense Taelkomisie (Amerikaens Language Commission) is the official regulating body of the Amerikaense language, and the central authority tasked with developing, preserving, and promoting Amerikaens.

History

Origin

Early French Influence

During its establishment in the 1620s, the original settlers of New Netherland were not Dutch but French-speaking Wallonians families sent by the Dutch West India Company to settle the claimed lands. The Wallonian community made up a bulk of the early settlers, and Hollandic-speaking inspectors and officers often had to resort to frequent code-switching to communicate more effectively. This code-switching resulted in French-origin words entering the Amerikaense vocabulary, mostly words relating to family and household, such as koetoe (knife; from couteau) and tapie (carpet; from tapis).

It was not until the late 1650s that the first wave of Dutch-speaking settlers arrived in the colony. This immigration wave resulted from the newly-reformed colonial government's efforts to promote settler growth. Hollandic Dutch was the primary variant that these settlers had brought. However, these Dutch settlers had to interact with the French-speaking Wallonian families that had already settled there since the 1620s. These new settlers adopted the French-inspired vocabulary.

English Influence

After the Second-Anglo Dutch War, England had formally ceded the territory west of the Versche River to New Netherland.

Orthography

Major changes from Hollandic Dutch:

ei -> ey    (eenheid -> eenheyd)

k -> ck    (boek -> boeck), only when occurring at the end of the syllable

aa -> ae   (Amerikaans -> Amerikaens)

ui -> uy   (fruit -> fruyt)

ij -> ÿ    (vrijheid -> vrÿheyd)

d  -> dt   (stad -> stadt), only when at end of syllable

In many cases older orthography and spelling is preserved from early modern Dutch.

Grammar

the corruption of -tie into -sie (politie -> polisie)

Vocabulary

Words of Native Origin

1. Moes (Moose) from Algonquian
2. Wapiti (Elk) from Shawnee/Cree
3. Kwaewon (Woodpecker) from Mohawk

Words of French Origin

1. Bufaloo (American Bison)