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That Letter "IJ"(speak: [ e? ], [?? ] or schwa) a privileged position takes within of the Netherlands Alphabet , similarly that of the German "ss" or better the Spanish "LL". The ligature from "I" and "J" is still material of discussions: Those Nederlandse Taalunie, a kind commission to questions of the Netherlands language, the IJ does not recognize as independent letter on, however clearly as Ligature and the way of writing with two capital letters at the word beginning specifies. In Flanders, the niederlaendischsprachigen part Belgium, does that become? but not as independent letter recognition. In the Netherlands it is however quite common, the IJ as 27. To designate letter in the Netherlands alphabet, many set the IJ however also to the place of Y (see below).

Origin and use

This indication in a double I had its origin, due to better legibility the second I was extended later. It developed then to its own character, which is constantly largely written at the word beginning (example: IJsselmeer). This becomes also clear thereby, that in Netherlands cross word mysteries only one small box for that? is intended, exactly the same as in the popular guessing game "Lingo". Many Netherlands typewriters have also their own key for that?. These facts support also the argumentation of those, those the IJ as independent letters regard.

Equalization with Y

In 18. and 19. Century printers began, for that? own Type characters to use. These looked like a Y with two Puenktchen (? ÿ). From this the false equalization developed of the? with Y, in the Netherlands one almost exclusively in foreign words occurs. This is supported thereby, that Y in from the Netherlands developed Africa to the place of the? takes, and by names such as z. B. that of the football club Feyenoord Rotterdam from the quarter Feijenoord. In Netherlands directories that becomes? in place of Y set. Many Dutchmen are the opinion, their alphabet ends with X, IJ, Z.

The IJ in the data processing

Text processing programs possess frequently an automatic correcting function for words, (usually inadvertently) with two capital letters to be tapped. They nearly always amend therefore IJ to Ij. In addition, the ligature has a its own HTMLCode: IJ for? and ij for?.