What SENSE is

SENSE is a society for English-language professionals based in the Netherlands. We currently have about 280 members, including technical, style and copy editors, translators, proofreaders, copywriters, interpreters, journalists, teachers, researchers, academics and language/communication consultants. Most of our members either live in or have a professional connection to the Netherlands, but work primarily in English (either full-time or part-time, freelance or in-house).

What SENSE does

SENSE supports its members and the language profession in many ways. The Society:

  • helps language professionals meet the special challenges of working in English in a Dutch-speaking country.
  • organizes a full calendar of workshops, webinars and social events for members and non-members alike.
  • hosts an online Forum where members can ask questions and discuss issues.
  • organizes get-togethers called Special Interest Groups (SIGs) to meet, discuss and learn about topics related to the group's interests.
  • operates a mentoring programme in which more experienced members provide guidance to less experienced colleagues.
  • provides a membership database where members can find colleagues and make useful contacts.
  • provides useful information and resources in our online Library of files.
  • maintains an active presence on Facebook (both public and private), LinkedIn (both public and private) and X (formerly Twitter).
  • engages in advocacy and the promotion of standards on behalf of language professionals in the Netherlands and Europe.
  • encourages communication between societies and institutions involved in language.

History of SENSE

SENSE was founded in 1990 by a small group of English-speaking editors living in the Netherlands. Their objective was to form a society that could deal with the problems of language attrition and linguistic isolation faced by English-speaking language professionals living and working in a non-anglophone country. SENSE has also attracted many native speakers of Dutch, who bring valuable perspectives on working in the English language industry in the Netherlands.

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Publications

The following resources are available to the public: