dienstdoend

Dienstdoend is a Dutch term that appears as a variant form of dienstdoende, meaning on duty or in service. In standard modern Dutch, dienstdoende is the widely accepted form, while dienstdoend is considered nonstandard, archaic, or regional in usage. The two share the same etymological roots: dienst (duty, service) and doen (to do) with the participle ending -ende, though the form with -end can be shortened in certain texts or contexts.

Etymology and form. The canonical participle is dienstdoende, used to describe someone who is currently performing their official duties or is serving in a particular capacity. Dienstdoend, by contrast, is less common and often regarded as a variant outside contemporary normative spelling. In historical documents or in decorative signage and headlines with space constraints, dienstdoend may occasionally appear.

Usage. The term is used to describe people or systems that are actively fulfilling their duties. Standard examples include de dienstdoende arts (the on-duty doctor) or de dienstdoende politieagent (the on-duty police officer). In most formal writing, dienstdoende is preferred; dienstdoend may be encountered in older texts, dialectal writings, or as a stylistic shortened form in headlines.

Relation to related terms. The concept aligns with phrases such as dienst (duty, service) and zijn/worden in dienst, as well as related contexts like dienstplicht (conscription) and dienstdoende functies. Understanding the distinction between dienstdoende and dienstdoend helps clarify written Dutch usage, especially in professional and administrative contexts.