Standaardnederlands

Standaardnederlands, also known as Algemeen Nederlands, is the standardized, codified form of the Dutch language used in formal contexts across the Dutch-speaking world. It serves as the normative basis for spelling, grammar, vocabulary, and usage in education, government, media, and literature, and acts as the reference variety for speakers of regional dialects and sociolects.

Historically, Dutch language standardization emerged in the early modern period and was refined in the 18th to 20th centuries. In contemporary use, the Dutch Language Union (Taalunie), founded in 1980 by the Netherlands and the Belgian Dutch-speaking community, coordinates standardization policy, terminology, and orthography. The official spelling list, the Groene Boekje (Green Booklet), and other style guidelines mark the normative conventions; dictionaries such as Van Dale are widely consulted in reference to standard usage.

Standaardnederlands is not a single spoken dialect; it is a supraregional norm designed to be intelligible across the Netherlands and Flanders. Local dialects and accents remain common and influence pronunciation and style, but in formal settings speakers are expected to adhere to the standard. The norm thus coexists with regional varieties and registers, enabling both formal communication and regional linguistic diversity.