As of September 15, we no longer accept new instructions for language analysis or contra-expertise services. As of January 1, 2023, we will terminate our language analysis and contra-expertise services.Cases for which a quotation has been provided will still be handled in the usual way.

Background

Over the past 20 years, De Taalstudio has carried out more than 3000 language analyzes and counter expertises. In the Netherlands and for foreign clients. In addition, we had an impact on quality awareness among linguists, decision makers, policy makers and lawyers. I look back on these accomplishments with pride and satisfaction. But the world of refugees and their often erratic route to Western countries has changed over the years. A direct escape route from the country of origin to a Western country has become the exception. An erratic and lengthy path through third countries and refugee camps is now the rule. Our current applications for language analysis are largely based on denying that reality, and holding onto the fiction that people flee from areas with stable mono- or bilingual communities with distinctive linguistic patterns, and that people retain their mother tongue flawlessly for a lifetime. As a result, language analysis has turned into an impossible fortress for applicants, rather than a fair opportunity. De Taalstudio has a reputation to uphold in the field, and this is where we draw the line. We are very sorry for the countless people who depend on a language analysis or a counter-expertise, but you will have to find a different way.

Maaike Verrips