This article investigates the human impersonal pronouns (HIPs) in Dutch by using a double
questionnaire-based approach. It involves two different questionnaires, which firstly
measures the acceptability of the different HIPs in the twelve possible impersonal contexts,
and secondly, determines the preferred impersonal strategy in these same contexts. For this
purpose, the study involves two different questionnaires, namely an acceptability
questionnaire (AQ) and a completion task (VT). The results are interpreted in two ways:
Firstly, a language-specific comparison is made between the results of the Dutch AQ and CT.
Secondly, the Dutch results are compared to the results of a similar investigation into the
Afrikaans HIPs.
There is a correlation between the acceptability (from the AQ) and use (from the CT) of 'je'
and 'ze' in universal-internal and non-internal uses respectively. However, there is little
correlation between the acceptability of 'men' and the actual usage of this pronoun. The use
of 'men' is considered acceptable in all twelve contexts, but the actual frequency of use is very
low in all of the contexts.
'Ze' (Du) is used more frequently than 'hulle' (Afr), and 'ze' is more acceptable than 'hulle' in
number-neutral existential contexts. Unlike 'men' (Du), which can be used in all twelve
contexts, '('n) mens' (Afr) can only be used in internal-universal contexts. 'je' (Du) and 'jy'
(Afr) are both acceptable and frequently used in internal-universal contexts.