Syntax of Dutch

The main purpose of SoD is to present a synthesis of the currently available syntactic knowledge of Dutch. It provides a comprehensive overview of the relevant research on Dutch and presents not only the results of previous approaches to the language, but also the results of formal linguistic research of the last seven decades, many of which cannot be found in other reference works.

Syntax is the branch of linguistics that studies how words are combined into larger word groups and ultimately into sentences. Our goal of describing the internal structure of sentences means that we focus more on competence (the internalized grammar of native speakers) than on performance (the actual use of language). This means that we make extensive use of constructed examples focused on the syntactic problem. SoD also pays attention to certain aspects of meaning as well as discuss phonological aspects such as accent and intonation where they are relevant.

Reference work for researchers

SoD is intended for a general linguistically educated readership. We aim to produce a reference work that will help all researchers interested in issues related to the syntax of modern Dutch. It allows the reader to quickly access the most important up-to-date information on all syntactic issues discussed in the scholarly literature (and many more), as well as literature suggestions for further study. SoD is thus an excellent reference point for, for example, diachronic research, the study of language variation in Dutch, and for cross-linguistic research; it has also proven to be a useful teaching tool for advanced students of linguistics and linguistics (e.g., as a starting point for an undergraduate or graduate thesis).

SoD has a long history. The project began in 1992 and was completed in 2012-9 with the publication of an eight-volume book series of more than 4,000 pages published by Amsterdam University Press in the Comprehensive Grammar Resources series. This material is also available as Open Access publications (accessible through the AUP website) and published on the Internet as part of the Language Portal at taalportaal.org.

Revised, expanded edition

Because of the 30-year history of the project, it seemed necessary to begin immediately with a fully revised, updated and expanded edition of SoD, incorporating the more recent research of the past two decades. We are now in the middle of the revision process, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. The second edition of SoD will again be published by AUP and made available as an open access publication and on the Language Portal.

Duration: 2021-April 2026

Researchers (MI): Hans Broekhuis

Partners: Norbert Corver (Utrecht University) and Frank Landsbergen (Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal)