Specifieker

Specifieker is the comparative form of the Dutch adjective specifiek, meaning more specific or more precise. It is used to compare levels of detail, clarity, or accuracy in information, plans, descriptions, goals, or requirements. For example, you can say that a plan is specifieker than another plan, or that a statement is specifieker about the scope of a project.

Etymology and formation: the word derives from Latin specificus and entered Dutch through historical developments in the descriptive vocabulary around specificity and detail. In Dutch, comparatives are often formed with the suffix -er, yielding specifieker from specifiek. The term can function both attributively (een specifieker doel) and predicatively (het plan is specifieker).

Usage and nuance: specifieker is common in written Dutch and in formal or technical contexts, such as research, policy, or documentation. It conveys a tighter level of detail than the base form specifiek or than using the phrase meer specifiek. In many situations, particularly in everyday speech, speakers may prefer the construction meer specifiek, which is equally correct and sometimes clearer to listeners.

Related terms: closely related forms include specifieker en het meest specifieker is less common and usually expressed as het meest specifiek. The verb form specificeren means to specify, while specificatie refers to a specification or set of details. Together, these terms form a lexical family used to discuss precision and clarity in communication.