author
M. de (Matthias) Vries
1820–1892
A pioneering Dutch linguist and lexicographer, he helped lay the foundations for modern study of the Dutch language. He is best remembered as the driving force behind the vast Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal, one of the great historical dictionaries of Europe.
1 Audiobook
Woordenlijst voor de spelling der Nederlandsche Taal Met aanwijzing van de geslachten der naamwoorden en de vervoeging der werkwoorden
by M. de (Matthias) Vries, L. A. te Winkel
About the author
Born in Haarlem on November 9, 1820, Matthias de Vries studied at Leiden and went on to build a career as a scholar of Dutch language and literature. He taught in Groningen before becoming a professor in Leiden, where his work helped shape Dutch philology into a more systematic, scholarly field.
De Vries is most closely associated with the Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal, the monumental historical dictionary of Dutch. He played a central role in launching and guiding the project, and his name is also linked with the De Vries and Te Winkel spelling system, an important step in bringing greater consistency to written Dutch.
Remembered as one of the key language scholars of the 19th-century Netherlands, he combined teaching, editing, and lexicography with a deep interest in the history of words and texts. He died in Leiden on August 9, 1892, leaving behind a legacy that continued to influence Dutch scholarship long after his lifetime.