aan

Forms

aan^[1] The short form an is the usual one in speech and was common in older writers.^[2][3] As an adverb the lengthened anne was once used, for example by Hooft.^[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle Dutch āne, inherited from Old Dutch ana, inherited from Proto-West Germanic *ana, inherited from Proto-Germanic *ana.^[4][1] Old Dutch had ⟨an⟩ as a preposition and ⟨ana-⟩ in compounds.^[4][3] Middle Dutch ⟨ane⟩ has the vowel lengthened in an open syllable.^[4] The same word is Old Saxon an, Old High German ana (modern German an), Old Frisian an, Old English on (modern English ⟨on⟩), Old Norse á and Gothic 𐌰𐌽𐌰 (ana).^[4][5]

The EWN derives it from Proto-Indo-European *h₂en-, with Latin an-, Ancient Greek ἀνά (aná, “up, again, back”), Avestan ana and Old Irish an-.^[4] The Greek preposition is the first part of anachronisme.^[4] Forms with another vowel are Sanskrit अनु (ánu, “along”), and with zero grade Old Church Slavonic на (na, “on, at”) and Lithuanian nuõ.^[4] Kroonen reconstructs Proto-Indo-European *h₂enh₂: the laryngeal became a vowel at the end of the word, which was lost in the daughter languages but kept in compounds and restored from them.^[5] Van Haeringen thought it uncertain that an ⟨*ana⟩ existed in Indo-European, and the Irish evidence insufficient.^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The oldest record is from about 800: an wudu kiri þu “turn to the wood”.^[4][7] The Wachtendonck Psalms of the 10th century have an “in, at”, and the Willeram (about 1100) has alliz ana “all the time”.^[4][7]

Semantic evolution

As a preposition aan expresses contact with a surface or nearness, and also movement towards something.^[2] Older Dutch marked the difference by the case it governed.^[2] Middle Dutch used it with the dative for contact, and for likeness, as in ghelijc ane “like”.^[8] As an adverb it forms many separable verbs, denoting growth, attachment or the start of an action.^[1]

Later senses describe clothes being worn and devices being switched on.^[9][1] In Dutch slang a party can be aan, “great”, and in Surinamese Dutch aan zijn means to be eager or irritated.^[1][10]

Danish an and the Swedish naval phrase om bord “on board” come from Dutch or Low German, as does the verbal prefix an- of Danish, Norwegian and Swedish.^[11] Negerhollands has aan “on”, and Skepi Dutch an.^[11][1]

Timeline

• c. 800 – an wudu “to the wood” is recorded in Old Dutch.^[4][7]
• 901–1000 – The preposition an is recorded in the Wachtendonck Psalms.^[4][12]
• c. 1100 – ana is used as an adverb in the Willeram.^[7]
• c. 1200 – Middle Dutch ane and an are recorded.^[13][8]
• 1254 – The spelling aen is recorded.^[4][13]
• 1287 – ghelijc ane “like” is recorded in West Flanders.^[8]

Meanings

Preposition

1. On, at, against: expresses contact or attachment: Het schilderij hangt aan de muur.^[9][1]
2. Expresses a figurative bond or relation: Ze is erg gehecht aan haar oude stad.^[9]
3. At, by, near: een huisje aan het meer.^[9][1]
4. To: marks the recipient or goal: Geef het boek aan je broer.^[9][1] toe zijn aan: to need, to be ready for.^[9]
5. Of, from, as a result of: Hij overleed aan een longontsteking.^[9][1]
6. As for, in respect of: Er is geen gebrek aan vrijwilligers.^[9][1]
7. Up to, in the power of: Het is aan jou om te kiezen.^[9][1]
8. With het and an infinitive: busy doing: Ze is aan het koken.^[1]

Adverb

1. Worn on the body: Hij had zijn jas nog aan.^[9][1] de broek aan hebben: to be the boss.^[9]
2. Against or onto something: af en aan: to and fro.^[9]
3. On, working: De radio staat aan.^[9][1]
4. (slang) Of a party: great.^[1]

Word family

• aandacht
• aandeel
• aanmoedigen
• aanslag
• aanzien
• aankijken
• aannemen
• aanraken
• aansluiten
• aanspreken
• aantasten
• aangaan
• aanhouden
• aankomen

Related words

• anachronisme
• English on
• German an

Usage notes

De Vreese condemned aan for possession, as in Buysse's hun meester aan allen, as a gallicism modelled on French à.^[14] In Limburg aan was also used before a price, a use now dated.^[1]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Vries, Matthias de; Winkel, L. A. te, et al. (1882–1998), Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal, 29 vols., 's-Gravenhage / Leiden: Nijhoff / Sijthoff / SDU; supplement 2001; gtb.ivdnt.org
3. ^ a b Franck, Johannes; Wijk, Nicolaas van (1912), Franck's Etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal, 2nd ed., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Philippa, Marlies; Debrabandere, Frans; Quak, Arend; Schoonheim, Tanneke; Sijs, Nicoline van der (2003–2009), Etymologisch woordenboek van het Nederlands, 4 vols., Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press; online via etymologiebank.nl
5. ^ a b Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill
6. ^ Haeringen, C. B. van (1936), Etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal: Supplement, 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff
7. ^ a b c d Oudnederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; gtb.ivdnt.org
8. ^ a b c Pijnenburg, W. J. J., et al. (2001), Vroegmiddelnederlands woordenboek: woordenboek van het Nederlands van de dertiende eeuw in hoofdzaak op basis van het Corpus-Gysseling, Leiden: Instituut voor Nederlandse Lexicologie; gtb.ivdnt.org
9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
10. ^ Donselaar, J. van (1989), Woordenboek van het Surinaams-Nederlands, Muiderberg: Coutinho
11. ^ a b Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)
12. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2001), Chronologisch woordenboek: de ouderdom en herkomst van onze woorden en betekenissen, Amsterdam / Antwerpen: Veen
13. ^ a b Vries, Jan de; Tollenaere, Félicien de (2004), Etymologisch woordenboek: onze woorden, hun oorsprong en ontwikkeling, 23rd ed., Utrecht: Het Spectrum, p. 43
14. ^ Vreese, Willem de (1899), Gallicismen in het Zuidnederlandsch, Gent: Siffer