Artigenda
Day of the soft G in Dutch
When: annually, July 7.
Soft G Day is an initiative of the regional broadcasting company Omroep Brabant and highlights the importance of the soft G. The day is an annual day in the Netherlands on July 7.
Explanation of the "soft G" in Dutch
The Dutch language is known for its unique sounds and one of these is the “soft G” sound. This sound is not found in English and can be challenging for non-native speakers to pronounce. The “soft G”, known as “zachte G” in Dutch, is predominantly used in the southern parts of the Netherlands, in cities like Maastricht and Eindhoven, as well as in the Belgian region of Flanders.
The “soft G” is a voiced fricative, produced by vibrating your vocal cords while constricting airflow through your mouth. It’s similar to the “g” sound in the word “genre” in English, but softer. In contrast, the “hard G”, used in the northern and western parts of the Netherlands, is more guttural and closer to the “ch” sound in the Scottish word “loch”.
The use of the “soft G” versus the “hard G” can be a point of regional pride and identity in the Netherlands. It’s one of the features that distinguishes regional accents within the country. Despite these differences, both forms are considered correct in Dutch, and Dutch people are generally understanding and accommodating of the challenges non-native speakers face when trying to master these sounds.
The “soft G” is a unique aspect of the Dutch language, reflecting the rich diversity of accents and dialects within the Netherlands. Whether you use a “soft G” or a “hard G”, the most important thing is to communicate clearly and confidently. Happy learning!
Origin of this day
It was an idea of Omroep Brabant to launch the day in 2022. That does not make it a very old special day yet. That doesn’t matter, as new special or commemorative days are added every year. When you consider that when making the choice for this day and when it had to take place, careful attention was also paid to the moment, it is worth remembering that the month of July played an important role. The seventh letter of the alphabet is the letter G.
History
It is sometimes claimed that people once spoke with the soft G throughout the Netherlands. At least, that is what was claimed in this 2015 article that appeared via Omroep Brabant. In this article, Marc van Oostendorp was interviewed. That article only refers to a blog available only to invited members. Not very neat, as this lacks the source that is actually applicable for this article. Now, it is not that Van Oostendorp did not know what he was talking about, as he was described as a professor and linguist. The article therefore listed a number of pros and cons.
Linguistically, the soft g is a rarity. So this would make claims somewhat illogical that the soft g was once spoken throughout the Netherlands. Only 7 of the 317 languages included in the UCLA Phonological Segment Inventory have a sound corresponding to the soft g. Other languages include Scottish Gaelic and New Greek. What’s counter to that is that it’s all a very long time ago and we don’t know anything for sure.
More information
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