Like most Germanic languages, Dutch forms noun compounds, where the first noun modifies the category given by the second (hondenhok = doghouse). Unlike English, where newer compounds or combinations of longer nouns are often written in open form with separating spaces, Dutch (like the other Germanic languages) either uses the closed form without spaces (boomhuis = tree house) or inserts a hyphen (VVD-coryfee = outstanding member of the VVD, a political party). Like German, Dutch allows arbitrarily long compounds, but the longer they get, the less frequent they tend to be. COUNT 5
QSN1 How would a Dutch speaker say "doghouse"? ANS1 hondenhok QSN2 Is Dutch like or unlike English in its treatment of compound nouns? ANS2 Unlike QSN3 "Tree house," which is two words in English, would be what single word in Dutch? ANS3 boomhuis QSN4 What language is like Dutch in allowing compounds to be any length? ANS4 German QSN5 In English, what usually separates newer compound nouns written in open form? ANS5 spaces