Changes

'''Dutch''' (''Nederlands'') is a West [[Germanic language]] spoken by approximately 22 million people.  It is the main language of the [[Netherlands]] and [[Suriname]], and one of the official languages of [[Belgium]].  The Dutch language in the Netherlands, Belgium and Suriname is regulated by the ''Nederlandse Taalunie''.

'''Dutch''' (''Nederlands'') is a West [[Germanic language]] spoken by approximately 28 million people (2012).  It is the main language of the [[Netherlands]] and [[Suriname]], and one of the official languages of [[Belgium]].  The Dutch language in the Netherlands, Belgium and Suriname is regulated by the ''Nederlandse Taalunie''.

==Status in Belgium==

==Status in Belgium==

Dutch phonology differs from other Germanic languages in that it does not aspirate its initial voiceless consonants. Just like German, voiced consonants are realized as voiceless consonants at a final word position. Also, Dutch lacks alveolar palatal consonants except in some cases.  

Dutch phonology differs from other Germanic languages in that it does not aspirate its initial voiceless consonants. Just like German, voiced consonants are realized as voiceless consonants at a final word position. Also, Dutch lacks alveolar palatal consonants except in some cases.  

{| class="wikitable"                                  {| class="wikitable"

{| class="wikitable"                                   

|-                                                     |-

|-                                                  

!IPA Sound !! Approximate Pronunciation               ! IPA Sound !! Approximate Pronunciation       

!IPA Sound !! Approximate Pronunciation                      

|-                                                     |-

|-                                                  

| b || '''b'''ed                                      ! ɑ || n'''u'''t

| b || '''b'''ed                                       

|-                                                    |-

|-                                                     

| c || '''c'''ute                                      ! ɛ || p'''e'''t

| c || '''c'''ute                                       

|-                                                    |-

|-                                                     

| d || '''d'''oor                                      ! ɪ || th'''i'''n

| d || '''d'''oor                                       

|-                                                     |-

|-                                                  

|d͡ʒ || '''j'''eans                                    ! ɔ || kn'''o'''t

|d͡ʒ || '''j'''eans                                     

|-                                                    |-

|-                                                     

| f || '''f'''un                                      ! ɵ || short b'''i'''rd

| f || '''f'''un                                       

|-                                                    |-

|-                                                     

| g || '''g'''ood                                      ! u || f'''oo'''t

| g || '''g'''ood                                       

|-                                                    |}

|-                                                     

| ɣ || Spanish fue'''g'''o                         

| ɣ || Spanish fue'''g'''o                         

|-

|-

[[Category:Germanic Languages]]

[[Category:Germanic Languages]]

[[Category:Suriname]]

[[Category:Suriname]]

[[Category:Netherlands]]

[[Category:Netherlands]]