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[ARCHIVE] Grammar: Jij vs. Je / Zij vs. Ze / Wij vs. We

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Fnirk1
Sweden

[ARCHIVE] Grammar: Jij vs. Je / Zij vs. Ze / Wij vs. We

Post by Fnirk1 »

Originally posted by: Lavinae https://forum.duolingo.com/comment/3734337

As the title suggests, this grammar explanation thread concerns the difference (in use) between marked and unmarked pronouns. This is really about the difference in Dutch between the pronouns that receive emphasis, and those that do not.

The marked and unmarked pronouns
Thusly, we have several pronouns which have a marked/stressed and a standard, unmarked form. These are the ones we’re talking about:
Image
As you may have guessed, the Ik (= I), Hij (= he), and Jullie (= You, plural) forms do not have both a marked and an unmarked version.
When we, the Dutch, feel like emphasizing an inanimate entity, a ‘thing’, which we address with ‘het’ or ‘hij’ (it) and ‘ze’ (they), then we choose to use a demonstrative pronoun.

Anecdote: Interestingly, there’s a difference between the Dutch spoken in the Netherlands and that spoken in Flanders (Flemish) in this respect. Flemish, in fact, uses ‘ze’ for the inanimate feminine nouns. In contrast, in the Netherlands, inanimate entities, or things, are not described as being feminine and generally approached with either the ‘it’ pronoun or the masculine ‘hij’.

So when do we use marked pronouns?
Yes, this distinction between different pronouns is not for naught. It actually has a function. We use marked pronouns when we want to

emphasize the pronoun. Generally speaking, you’ll use one version or the other depending on the situation you are in. However, in speech there are cases in which an unmarked pronoun fits better than a marked pronoun, and vice versa. You’ll get a feeling for this by learning the language. Also remember not to stress an unmarked pronoun and note this: we use unmarked pronouns more frequently than their marked versions.

How do we emphasize the pronoun?

  1. Obviously, we first use the right version: zij, or ze, wij, or we, and jij, or je.

  2. However, when we give emphasis to the pronoun we increase our pitch

  3. We also tend to increase our volume, ever so slightly

  4. In addition, the word is also pronounced ‘longer’ (its duration is stretched in comparison to that of the unmarked pronoun). Thus, in contrast, when you’re using an unmarked pronoun, you should emphasize another part of the sentence (instead of the pronoun).

Examples

  1. Jij vs. Je (marked vs. Unmarked)

    Jij moet dat doen.”=“You have to do that” (that’s you, and not me!)
    Je moet dat doen.”=“You have to do that” (in order to…)

  2. Zij vs. Ze (marked vs. Unmarked)

    Zij wil vandaag zwemmen.”=“She wants to swim today.” (but I don’t….)
    Ze wil vandaag zwemmen.”=“She wants to swim today.”

  3. Dat vs. Het (marked vs. Unmarked)

    Dat klopt niet.”=“That is not correct”. (something specific is incorrect).
    Het klopt niet.”=“It is not correct”. (something in general is incorrect).

  4. Deze/die vs. Hij (marked vs. Unmarked)

    Deze geeft licht”=“This one gives light”.
    Hij geeft licht”=“It gives light.

  5. Wij vs. we (marked vs. Unmarked)

    Wij komen niet.”=“We are not coming.” (but the others are…)
    We komen niet.”=“We are not coming.”

  6. Zij vs. Ze (marked vs. Unmarked)

    Zij luisteren nooit naar ons.”=“They never listen to us.” (talking about a group in specific)
    Ze luisteren nooit naar ons.”=“They never listen to us.” (talking about some group in general)

  7. Deze/die vs. Ze (inanimate entities/things)

    Deze horen daar niet bij.”=“These ones do not belong with that.”
    Ze horen daar niet bij.”=“They do not belong with that.”

:sweden: N :gb: C1 :ru: B2 :fr: :es:B1 :de: :it: :netherlands: A1

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