Meaning of tussenvoegsel | Babel Free

Definitions

A part of a person’s name (usually of Dutch origin) that comes between the first name and the last name.

Examples

“A tussenvoegsel, in Dutch linguistics, is a word that is positioned between someone's given name and surname, but is still a part of someone's last name. In the Netherlands, the tussenvoegsels strictly speaking are not a part of someone's last name. For example, someone whose family name is "De Vries" isn't found at the letter "D" in the telephone directory but at "V". Tussenvoegsels are therefore also required to be listed separately in databases; […] In the Netherlands, the tussenvoegsel is written with a capital letter if no name precedes it.”

“In the interest of simplicity, all prefixes in surnames, including “van/van der/de”, common tussenvoegsels in Dutch, will be dropped in repeated references (e. g., Linschoten not Van Linschoten, Diemen not Van Diemen).”

“Names can be different across cultures. For example, Dutch names have a specific spelling convention in which the tussenvoegsel (affix before the main part of the last name) is not capitalized between the first and last name, such as the van in Vincent van Gogh [3].”

CEFR level