inplaats

Inplaats is not a widely recognized standalone word in standard Dutch. It is most often encountered as a misspelling or informal shorthand for the two-word phrases in plaats or in plaats van, which mean “in place” and “instead of,” respectively. The correct orthography in contemporary Dutch is to keep these expressions as separate words.

Etymology and forms: The phrase in plaats is formed from in (in) and plaats (place), used to indicate location or substitution when combined with van to express contrast. The two-word forms are well established in dictionaries and style guides. The fused form inplaats does not appear as a standard entry and is generally treated as nonstandard.

Usage: In practice, the standard forms are preferred in written Dutch. Examples:

- In plaats van suiker gebruikte hij honing. (Instead of sugar, he used honey.)

- De route gaat via een omweg in plaats van rechtstreeks. (The route goes via a detour instead of directly.)

If you encounter inplaats in text, it is likely a typographical error and should be corrected to in plaats or in plaats van, depending on the intended meaning.

Notes: There is no separate, widely used meaning or definition for inplaats beyond these spelling considerations. In formal writing, adherence to the two-word forms helps maintain clarity and correctness.

See also: in plaats, in plaats van, Dutch spelling and grammar.