tegenvoegwoord

Tegenvoegwoord is a term used in Dutch language discussion to refer to a class of words that signal contrast between two clauses. In modern grammar the more precise term is usually tegenstellend voegwoord, also described as a contrastive conjunction. The two labels may be used interchangeably in non-specialist contexts, but sommige grammars distinguish between them as terminology differences. Typical members of this category include maar, echter, desondanks, desalniettemin, toch, evenwel, integendeel and daarentegen.

Function and usage: A tegenstellend voegwoord connects two clauses of equal value and expresses opposition or contrast between their propositions. It often introduces a second clause that offers an alternative, a contradiction, or a refinement to what was stated first. In many sentences a comma precedes the conjunction when it joins two main clauses. Some contrastive connectives can appear at the beginning of a sentence or clause for emphasis, while others commonly appear in the middle of a sentence.

Examples:

- Hij werkt hard, maar hij heeft nog geen doorbraak geboekt.

- Het aanbod was aantrekkelijk; desalniettemin besloot hij het af te wijzen.

- De uitleg leek duidelijk; toch blijven er vragen bestaan.

- Integendeel, zij verdedigde juist dat standpunt met extra bewijs.

Relation to other conjunctions: Tegenstellend voegwoord is part of the broader category of voegwoorden (conjunctions), which also includes nevenschikkend voegwoord (coordinating) and onderschikkend voegwoord (subordinating). The distinction concerns both function (contrastive vs. others) and syntactic links between clauses.

Zie ook: voegwoord; nevenschikkend voegwoord; onderschikkend voegwoord; tegenstelling.