Zeeuws

Zeeuws, also known as Zeelandic, refers to the group of Dutch dialects spoken in the province of Zeeland in the southwest Netherlands. Local varieties are commonly divided into West Zeeuws and East Zeeuws, with further subvarieties on the islands and in the Zeelandic Flanders region near the Belgian border. The term Zeeuws is used both for the dialects themselves and for the regional cultural identity associated with Zeeland.

Linguistically, Zeeuws forms part of the Dutch language continuum. It is generally treated as a regional dialect rather than a separate language, though some speakers and writers may describe it as a Zeelandic language. Most speakers are bilingual, using Standard Dutch in education, media, and formal contexts, while Zeeuws is preserved in family speech, local communities, and cultural activities. Like other regional dialects, its use has declined since the mid-20th century due to urbanization and nationwide schooling, but it remains present in rural areas and in contemporary cultural life.

Zeeuws features distinctive pronunciation, vocabulary, and expressions that set it apart from Standard Dutch, with noticeable variation between West and East Zeelandic varieties. Mutual intelligibility with Standard Dutch is generally high but can be challenging in isolated subdialects.

There is no single standard orthography for Zeeuws. Documentation exists in linguistic studies and regional literature, and some local media and organizations promote the dialect as part of Zeeland’s heritage. Related topics include Zeeland, Zeelandic Dutch, and the Dutch language.