Hun hebben de taal verkwanseld en hun hadden gelijk — over het gebruik van hun als onderwerp in het hedendaagse Nederlands

A striking change has recently occurred in the Dutch language, namely, that we are increasingly confronted with a sharp expansion of the use of hun in the subject position. The use of hun instead of ze or zij as the subject of the sentence is considered ungrammatical and a form of language degradation. This contribution discusses the origin of this phenomenon, its characteristics and possible explanations for its use. It also presents a critical overview of statements given by authoritative bodies, such as the Dutch Language Union, about the use of hun. The issue of hun in the practice of NT2 education is also discussed, and the question is asked whether this language change has a negative impact on Dutch. Is it acceptable? Where is the limit for tolerance?