# Van der /sloat/, /slout/ or /sloot/ ?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-der-sloat-slout-or-sloot/312996>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [July 18, 2005, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-der-sloat-slout-or-sloot/312996 "2005-07-18T17:15:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-der-sloat-slout-or-sloot/312996/1 "2005-07-18T17:15:41Z")

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…that is, the proper pronunciation of Van der Sloot (and did I get the capitalization right)?

I’ve heard all three, and it’s driving me nuts.

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**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-der-sloat-slout-or-sloot/312996/2 "2005-07-18T19:15:01Z")

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In the Netherlands it would probably more or less rhyme with “boat,” a long O sound which would be extended for a tad. Regional variations might allow for something close to a rhymes-with-flute sound, like in west Flanders or something. If the person is American, though, who knows.