A Dictionary of Dutchness

Allochtoon

In theory this word means ‘not Dutch’, but in practice it means ‘not western’ or ‘not white’. The third generation children of Turkish and Moroccan immigrants are still known as allochtoon despite being born and brought up in Holland. Every official organisation seems to have its own definition of the term. Efforts to stamp out the use of the word, which has derogatory overtones, are always dismissed as being too politically correct.