
Paulien Cornelisse, the Dutch writer, columnist and TV personality, died on Wednesday at the age of 50 after a battle with cancer, her management confirmed on Thursday. A private funeral will be held, they added .
Tributes poured in from colleagues and friends who remembered her warmth, creativity and sharp yet kind wit. Steef de Jong, a theater maker and artist, recalled collaborating with Cornelisse on projects including a Dutch adaptation of the operetta *Frau Luna*, and said her imagination knew no bounds . Japke-d. Bouma, a writer and journalist, credited Cornelisse with proving that writing about language could captivate broad audiences .
Marc van Oostendorp, a professor of Dutch at Radboud University, highlighted her influence on Dutch language culture, noting her ability to inspire wonder rather than complaint about language. He cited her final column in *de Volkskrant*, where she playfully explored the words *apegapen*, *ginnegappen* and *lanterfanten* . Sanne Wallis de Vries, a theater maker and cabaret artist, called Cornelisse a kind, clever and genuinely engaged person .
Her husband, Chris Bajema, wrote a column in *de Volkskrant* on Thursday, describing how she wrote her pieces in her pajamas during the pandemic and how much he cherished her process. He framed one of her favorite columns and hung it in his study as a lasting tribute .
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