A compendious guide to the Low-Dutch language / Korte wegwyzer der Nederduytsche taal

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Of the Syntaxis.

IT would indeed be to little purpose to multiply Rules of Construction according to the Latin Grammar, because the same manner of expression that is usual with the Dutch, often prevails among the English; and the difference of Dialect may easier be perceived by observation in reading, than by troubling ones self with the learning of Rules. Yet in several Phrases there is a considerable difference, of which some examples being set down in my English Grammar under the head of WOORDSCHIKKING, the learner of Dutch is also referred thereunto; because that part of the Grammar is but very briefly to be touched here.

In NOUNS the Genitive Case is used in these expressions. Een teug biers a Draught of beer, hy is slinks he is lefthanded, ik ging myns weegs I went my way, eens 's weeks once a week, tweemaal 's daags twice a day, driemaal jaars trice a year, 's daags in the day time, 's nachts in the night time, 's mórgens in the morning, 's a-

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vonds, at night, in the evening, goeds moeds of good cheer, goed kinds loving to children, bloots voets bare-footed, bloots hoofds bare-headed, veel goeds much good, weynig gelds little mony, vol waters full of water, myns niet waardig not worthy of me, onzer indachtig mindful of us, myns bedunkens according to my judgement.

The Dative Case is used in these phrases, Zynen vader gelyk like unto his father, den vólke voordraagen to propound unto the people, der wereld gesturven dead unto the world, allen gemeen common to all, ten vuure gedoemd condemned to be burnt, ten eeuwigen leeven overgevoerd translated into life eternal, ten grave gaan to go to the grave.

The Accusative, being onely formed by the Particle, is used thus: Gelukkig is het vólk 't welk den Heere verkiest, Happy is the people that chooseth the Lord: And if instead of the Particle den stood de, the sence would be quite altered: for then it must be Englished, Happy is the people whom the Lord chuseth. Likewise, Zalig is hy die den Heere bemint, Blessed is

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he that loves the Lord and Zalig is hy dien de Heere bemint, Blessed is he whom the Lord loveth.

The Numbers in Dutch are Declinable into the Accusative or Ablative Case, as In tween, drien, vieren, vyven, zessen, zevenen, achten, negenen, tienen, elven, twaalven, enz. deelen. To divide into two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelf, &c. Hy quam met zyn vieren, He came with three more besides himself; zy waaren met hun zessen, they were six of 'em.

The Ablative is used somtimes with the Prepositions Ten or ter, as Ik zag hem ten hove, I saw him at the court, ten tyde in the time, daar ter stede in that town, ter goeder uure in a good hour.

This manner of speaking seems also to be in the Ablative Case, Behoorlykerwyze in a due form, Onverrichter zaake the thing remaining undone.

When Adjectives are used Substantively they become Indeclinable: for thô we say, Ryke luyden Rich people,

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yet we say, zy waaren ryk they were rich, or die luyden waaren ryk (and not ryke) those people were rich.

Adjectives are also very often used Adverbially, as Ik heb hem trouw gediend I have served him faitfully, Ik heb hartig gegeeten I have eaten heartily; hy deed het heel traag he did it very slowly. This manner of speaking agrees with the English phrase, To speak loud, and with the Latin construction of Virgil, Se matutinus agebat.

Some PRONOUNS are used thus, Tót mynent At my house, tót uwent at thy house, tót zynent at his house, tot hunnent at their house, om onzent wille for our sake, om haarent wille for her sake, mynent halve for my sake, uwent halve for your sake.

The Particles Het and dat are several times used in the Plural number, as Het waaren vroome luyden They were honest folks: Dat zyn sterke paerden those are strong horses.

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Some VERBS require a Genitive, as Ontferm u myner, Have pity upon me; hy kreunt zich des niet, he doth not matter that; gedenk zyner, remember him; Des verwittigd informed of it.

The Infinitive of a Verb is often used as a Noun Substantive of the Neuter Gender, as Zulk werken valt moeijelyk such working is hard, het sterk gaan vermoeit my the hard going tires me, dat drinken is zuur that drink is sour, het gulzig eeten krópt hem the greedy eating chokes him, zyn spreeken verveelt my his speaking wearies me, or I can't endure his speaking.

And somtimes are Infinitives thus used, also declined, as Willens en weetens Wilfully and knowingly, myns bedunkens according to my judgement, des drinken zat full of drink, de reden zyns zeggen the reason of his saying so. Verachtenswaerdig, worthy of contempt.

Some ADVERBS take to them a Genitive, as Niets geheels Nothing whole, gelds genoeg mony enough.

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The PREPOSITION Op is somtimes used thus, Op het Duytsch According to the Dutch or in the Dutch, op zyn Engels after the English fashion.

Te, ten and ter are thus used Te Haarlem At Harlem, te Londen at London, te lande by land, te water by water, te paerde on horse-back, te voet on foot, te water en te brood zitten to be fed in prison with bread and water, ten eersten at first, ten tweeden secondly, ten deele partly, ten dage on that day, ten goede in good part, ten toon stellen to expose, ten hoogsten at the highest; ter plaetse at the place, ter zee by sea, ter dood to death, ter dood toe until death.

Of the transplacing of words has been said something already in the Syntaxis of my English Grammar; and it is very usual in Dutch to place the Verb last in a sentence, as Wanneer zal ik u weêr zien, When shall I see you again? Als gy in Engeland komt, when you come into England.