spellingen

Spellingen is a Dutch term used to describe the system of correct spellings within a language’s orthography. In this sense, spellingen refers to the repertoire of written forms that are deemed acceptable in standard Dutch, as defined by official authorities such as the Dutch Language Union. The concept encompasses the spelling of base forms, inflections, capitalization, hyphenation, and punctuation as prescribed by the standard.

In education, instruction on spelling teaches learners to reproduce the standard spellings of words, and examinations typically assess correctness of spelling according to the approved spellingen. In lexicography, dictionaries document the standard spellings and, where applicable, accepted variant spellings or historical spellings.

Spellingen can shift during orthographic reform or per policy changes by language regulators. When reforms occur, the set of permissible spellings is updated, and references to a standard spelling are revised, for example in official lists such as Het Groene Boekje. The term also appears in linguistic discussions on orthography, where researchers distinguish between phonemic spellings and etymological spellings, and analyze how historical sound changes influence modern spellings. Spellingen thereby reflects both the phonology and the historical development of a language’s writing system.

See also: Orthography, Dutch Language Union, Het Groene Boekje, Spelling reform, Lexicography.