eerstepersoon

Eerstepersoon is a term used in some Dutch-language discussions of narrative perspective to denote a first-person point of view in a literary text. The word is a compound of eerste, meaning first, and persoon, meaning person. It is not a universally fixed term and may be used interchangeably with ik-verteller (I-narrator) in some analyses, while other scholars treat it as a stylistic nuance within first-person narration.

Usage and interpretation: When used, eerstepersoon typically signals that the narrator adopts a clearly personal stance and recounts events from their own experiences, perceptions, and memories. Analyses may examine reliability, subjectivity, temporal standpoint, and the relationship between the narrator and the implied author. The concept is most common in discussions of contemporary Dutch and Flemish fiction and in courses on narrative theory; it is less standardized in English-language scholarship, where first-person narrator is the common term.

Relation to other concepts: The term overlaps with and can be distinguished from broader discussions of narrative voice. In some contexts, eerstepersoon is treated as a specific variant of first-person narration that foregrounds the narrator’s personal involvement and perspective, rather than a distant or objective account.

Limitations: Because the term is not widely standardized, its precise boundaries vary by author and context. Writers sometimes use it to emphasize features such as direct address to the reader or overt self-reflection, which may blur with other first-person or autobiographical modes.

See also: First-person narrative, Narrative point of view, Ik-verteller, Autobiographical fiction.