Nou toch eigenlijk best wel eng hoor. About semantic value, interpretation and translation possiblility of Dutch particles

Abstract

Dutch particles are among the most difficult elements of the Dutch language to learn. Most students do not know what to do with particles and regularly omit them in text translations. However, the interpretation and translation of Dutch particles is a problem not only for students. Teachers, researchers, and translators also have great difficulties with them. This contribution focuses on research into the biggest problems with Dutch particles. My attention is focused on the semantic value, interpretation, and translation possibility of Dutch particles. This article also discusses the taxonomy of particles in Dutch based on current elaborations. I then proceed with the distribution of particles based on the discursive levels at which they function. The aim of this paper is also to present the characterization of the category of Dutch particles next to the category of Dutch adverbs. This article demonstrates also an overview of approaches to particles taken in Dutch linguistics area with the aim of identifying their most important points and suggesting a framework for further analysis. Eventually, it states that the category of particles is also an absorbing object of cross-linguistic research for a number of reasons. First, the category of particles has not been clearly defined in many languages so far. Second, the criteria used to identify this category differ not only crosslinguistically, but even within Dutch studies. Lastly, the classification of particles in many languages has still not been thoroughly researched and an accurate identification of Dutch particles equivalents has yet to be established.