Dutch "ch" was originally voiceless, while "g" was voiced. In the northern Netherlands, both "ch" and "g" are voiceless, while in the southern Netherlands and Flanders the voiceless/voiced distinction is upheld. The voiceless fricative is pronounced or [χ in the north and in the south, while the voiced fricative is pronounced [ɣ in the north (i.e. the northern parts of the area that still has this distinction) and in the south. This difference of pronunciation is called 'hard and soft g'.