onderscheidden

Onderscheidden is a historical Dutch term that appears as the past participle form of the verb onderscheiden, meaning to distinguish or differentiate. In standard modern Dutch, the past participle is onderscheiden, and onderscheidden is rarely used outside older texts. The form is typically found in Early Modern Dutch or in certain regional dialects and archival documents.

Origin and form: The word is derived from the verb scheiden (to separate) with the prefix onder-, and it reflects older orthographic and inflectional patterns in Dutch. Spelling variants in historical documents include onderscheidden as an alternative to onderscheiden.

Usage and meaning: In contexts where it occurs, onderscheidden carries a sense of having been distinguished or separated, akin to the past participle being used in a passive construction or as an adjective. Its usage today is largely confined to philological discussions, glossaries of older Dutch, or critical editions of historical texts.

Geographic and temporal distribution: The term is most commonly attested in Mid- to Early Modern Dutch texts from the Low Countries, and to a lesser extent in older Frisian or Brabantian writings. It is not part of contemporary standard Dutch vocabulary.

See also: onderscheid, onderscheiden, onderscheidend.

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