“The more languages, the more English?”

This article explores the empirical basis for the publicly expressed impressions and feelings that the impact and importance of English are a threat to the status and use of Dutch. This is done by looking at various linguistic and sociolinguistic phenomena. Among these, for instance, are the integration of English loan words into Dutch, the use of English in Dutch advertising and the use of English within the context of European Union meetings in Brussels. Although in some situations Dutch is indeed losing out to English, the overall finding is that contrary to public opinion Dutch is by no means in danger.