korten

Korten is a Dutch verb meaning to shorten, reduce, or cut down the length, duration, or amount of something. It is used in both literal contexts, such as shortening a text, a schedule, or a piece of fabric, and figurative ones, such as reducing expenses, trimming a budget, or scaling back plans. The action can be expressed with related forms such as inkorten, which specifically denotes shortening in a more formal or deliberate sense, for example tekst inkorten (shorten a text) or tijd inkorten (shorten the time).

Etymology and relation to other terms: Korten is derived from the adjective kort, meaning short. It has cognates in other Germanic languages; for instance, German kürzen carries a close semantic field. Dutch also uses compound forms and phrasal verbs to express related ideas, such as inkorten, bezuinigen, and kortingen in the sense of reductions or discounts.

Usage and examples: In budgeting and policy contexts, bezuinigen or inkorten op uitgaven are common phrases to describe reductions in spending. The term can appear in passive constructions where the result is stated as gekort, for example, de begroting is gekort or de tijd is gekort, indicating that the duration or amount has been shortened. In editing or media contexts, inkorten is frequently preferred, as in een tekst inkorten or een presentatie inkorten.

See also: bezuinigen, inkorten, korting. Notes: While gekort is a common past participle in Dutch, exact usage may vary by dialect and register; inkorten is often the preferred construction when focusing on the act of shortening.