DUTCH
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ABOUT THE DUTCH LANGUAGE
Dutch is a West Germanic language, that originated from the Old Frankish dialects brought to the Low Countries by the Franks, a Germanic tribe originally from what is now northern Germany and extreme north-western Poland, during the migration period. Among the words with which Dutch has enriched the English vocabulary are: brandy, cole slaw, cookie, cruiser, dock, easel, freight, landscape, spook, stoop, and yacht. Dutch is noteworthy as the language of an outstanding literature, but it also became important as the tongue of an enterprising people, who, though comparatively few in number, made their mark on the world community through trade and empire. Dutch is also among some of the earliest recorded languages of Europe.
Dutch is spoken by around 22 million people, mainly in the Netherlands and Belgium.
Countries/Areas where Dutch is spoken
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