Etnisch

Etnisch is a Dutch adjective meaning “ethnic,” and in some contexts also a noun referring to ethnicity or an ethnic group. It is used to describe things related to ethnicity, such as shared culture, language, ancestry, or origins. The term frequently appears in discussions about social groups, diversity, integration, and minority rights, and it is also used in academic writing to analyze cultural affiliation.

Etymology and usage of etnisch align with Dutch terms for related ideas in other languages. The word derives from the Latin ethnus through the Greek ethnos, and entered Dutch via historical linguistic contact with other European languages. In contemporary Dutch, etnisch commonly appears in phrases like etnische minderheden (ethnic minorities) and etnische groep (ethnic group).

In sociological and political contexts, etnisch is part of a vocabulary that treats ethnicity as a social construct rather than a fixed biological category. Ethnische identity can be self-identified or attributed by others, and the boundaries of ethnic groups are often fluid and context-dependent. The concept is frequently discussed alongside topics such as migration, multiculturalism, and minority rights, as well as tensions between assimilation and cultural preservation.

Distinctions from related terms are common: ethnicity emphasizes shared cultural practices, language, and origin; race is a more controversial biological-era category; nationality refers to citizenship. Related concepts include ethnography, which studies cultures and ethnic practices, and ethnogenesis, the formation and evolution of ethnic groups.

See also: Ethnicity, Ethnography, Ethnic group, Minority.