why is Holland also called The Netherlands and the people known as 'Dutch'?

Answer 1

Hi, I'm Dutch.

Only English speakers call us "Dutch"

In our own language it's like this:

Country: Nederland
People: Nederlanders
Language: Nederlands

(makes sense, doesn't it?)

Holland is only a part of the country, in fact it's two provinces: North-Holland and South-Holland. The capital city Amsterdam is in North-Holland, and the world's largest harbour Rotterdam is in South-Holland.

So, most non-Dutch only know the name Holland, mainly from the time our ships sailed the oceans for trade and colonialism.

The two provinces of Holland are at the west-coast. So, most people in the west of The Netherlands don't mind if you call the place "Holland". But it's not correct when meaning any of the other 12 provinces (like calling a New Yorker a "Texan").

The word "Dutch" is not based on "Duits"
It's based on "Dietsch" which is the most ancient language of this area, from which Dutch, Flammisch and German languages have developed.

10 points please ;-)

Answer 2

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When the country Nederland came into existence Holland was one of the provinces that joined the new country. As usual in that time the countries surrounding the new country translated the name of the new country into their own language, so Nederland became known as the Netherlands in English, Niederlande in German and le Pais Bas in French and so on. But as the Duchy of Holland was well known over the world that name did become the nickname for all the country Nederland. It was its most influential area, and the name was established enough not to be 'translated' or not more than needed for local pronunciation. Nowadays Holland is nothing but an informal region in the west of the country, and the name for two provinces, which together make up the region: Noord Holland and Zuid Holland. So your question should read 'why is the country the Netherlands also known as Holland.' I guess that the answer will be something like: Because the people are still too lazy to use the proper name, still after all these centuries. (The Dutch often go wrong themselves too, even our prime minister.)

Answer 3

The Netherlands, which means low lands was derived from the fact that most of the country is below sea level. North and South Holland are provinces in The Netherlands and many people just started calling it Holland. As for why they are called the Dutch, i'm not sure.

Answer 4

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RE:
why is Holland also called The Netherlands and the people known as 'Dutch'?

Answer 5

The Netherlands is the "correct way" Holland comes from the two major counties/states Noord & Zuid (north & south) Holland. As for the dutch not the faintest idea how that comes into it sorry.

Answer 6

The country is really called 'The Netherlands' (Nederland = low land) and Holland is the largest province of it (containing eg Amsterdam). Calling the whole country 'Holland' is similar to calling the whole of the UK 'England'. :)

I think 'Dutch' is derived from the word 'Duits' (NL) = 'Deutsch' (D) = 'German'. Dutch and German are quite similar and I guess the 'wrong' (or rather older) word made it into English somehow. :)

Answer 7

Holland is a part of the Netherlands, like a region. The Netherlands literally means "low lying country" - which of course it is, hence the need for dykes etc.
The word Dutch stems from Duitse - the same word as German.
Centuries ago they all spoke more or less the same language. It all comes from then.
PS Give me credit for just knowing this rather than getting it off wikipedia!

Answer 8

As you can see all these words are derived from the Dutch word Holland.
Strictly spoken even Holland is wrong. Holland was the name of the county Holland until 1795. But as the economic and cultural centre of The Netherlands was situated in the old county of Holland, this last name stood for the whole of The Netherlands. Moreover the name "The Netherlands" also applies for Belgium historically. Originally there were 17 counties united as the Low Countries, in French Les Pays Bas. History divided them into two groups which became Belgium and Netherlands.
Now about Dutch. This word is the English counterpart of the Dutch words "Diets" and "Duits". In Dutch "Duits" means "German", where the Germans call themselves "Deutsche". Around 1290 in the northern and eastern part of the Netherlands the word was: "duutsc" and as the Frisian people (living in the North) spoke a language much more alike English, the English adapted "dutch" from Frisian "duutsc". Later "duutsc" became the Dutch word for our eastern neighbors: Duits (German).
I know that one can find a lot of expressions in an English dictionary related to habits which are supposed to be typically Dutch. But here as in so many cases the pot calls the kettle black.

Answer 9

Holland would be the old name of this great country. The Netherlands: because it means wet lands. And as for their being called Dutch, well THAT is the native language there. They also speak English, German, French, as well as TRUE Spanish. Considering the area, they are a well diverse people, and we could all learn by their examples.

Answer 10

hollan is just a province in the netherlands, dont know why they called it holland, but its wrong. The official language of the netherlands is dutch