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al

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Pronunciation

Forms

al[1] Inflected alle, allen; the neuter used as a noun is alles.[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle Dutch al, inherited from Old Dutch al, inherited from Proto-West Germanic *all, inherited from Proto-Germanic *alla- (“all, whole”).[4][1][5] The same word is Old Saxon al, Old High German al (modern German all), Old Frisian al (modern West Frisian al), Old English eall (modern English all), Old Norse allr and Gothic 𐌰𐌻𐌻𐍃 (alls).[4][5][6] An 11th-century plural olla shows ⟨a⟩ changed to ⟨o⟩.[4][7]

The double /l/ arose from /ln/, as in vol, and an unsuffixed ⟨*ala-⟩ survives as a prefix in compounds such as Gothic 𐌰𐌻𐌰𐌼𐌰𐌽𐍃 (alamans, “all mankind”), in the tribal name of the Alamanni, whence French Allemagne (“Germany”), and in Middle Dutch alewaer (“wholly true”) and aelmachtich (“almighty”).[4][5][7][8]

The pre-Germanic form ⟨*al-no-⟩ may be a participle of Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- (“to grow”), the root of oud; Oscan allo (“whole”) and Old Irish uile (“all”) would then be related.[4][8][6] Kroonen reconstructs *h₂el-nó-, comparing also Lithuanian aliaĩ (“completely”).[5] De Vries found the link with growing not fully satisfying and preferred a connection with oll (“great, ample”).[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record is in the Utrecht baptismal vow of the late 8th century, where the candidate renounces allum dioboles uuercum “all the devil's works”.[4][9] The Wachtendonck Psalms of the 10th century have al ertha “the whole earth” and alle criepinda “all creeping things”.[4]

Semantic evolution

The sense “whole” is the oldest, and it was also used adverbially, as in hy is al vriend, of al vyand “he is wholly friend or wholly foe” (1784–85).[4] The WNT notes that al “whole” gradually gave way to geheel and heel, while the sense “every, all” spread.[3] The old sense survives in geheel en al (1805–08) and in heel en al, whence popular heelendal.[4][3] As a strengthening particle al formed adverbs such as aldus (1236), aldaar (1281), alhier (1284), allicht (1804) and alleen.[4]

The sense “already” probably comes from “completely”, in sentences like het licht brandt al; it is recorded from 1634, and the States Bible of 1688 has Ja, sy hebben al een weynigh begonnen “yes, they have already begun a little”.[4][9] The concessive use grew out of the adverb in clauses such as Of ick al duysent silverlingen op mijne handen mochte wegen (1688); later the conjunction was dropped and al came first, as in Al treedt gij terug (1860).[4][8]

Middle Dutch also used al as a preposition “along, through”, as in al enen pat “along a path” (1290), and the MNW, which thinks French à l’ may have played a part, notes that it is still usual in Flanders.[10][11] Middle Dutch oaths such as bi al dat God leven liet “by all that God let live” turned into exclamations, and alle duivels! and alle mensen! are still heard.[12] The word passed into Sranan Tongo and Aukan (ala), Negerhollands (al, alda) and Petjo, and alreeds “already” into Frisian, Danish and Norwegian (allerede).[13][1]

Timeline

  • 776–800 – Allum dioboles uuercum “all the devil's works” in the Utrecht baptismal vow.[9][4]
  • 901–1000 – Al ertha “the whole earth” in the Wachtendonck Psalms.[4]
  • 11th century – The plural olla.[4]
  • 1236 – Aldus “thus”.[4]
  • 1290 – The preposition al “along”.[10]
  • 1634 – Al “already”.[4][9]
  • 1688 – Al een weynigh begonnen in the States Bible.[4]
  • 1860 – Concessive Al treedt gij terug.[4]

Meanings

Pronoun

  1. The whole of, all: al het water.[2][1]
  2. (alle) Every one of, all: alle leerlingen.[2][1]
  3. (al wie, al wat) Whoever, whatever: Al wie wil, mag meedoen.[2]

Adverb

  1. already, sooner than expected: Ben je nu al klaar?[2][1]
  2. As a modal particle: Dat dacht ik al.[2]
  3. Strengthening an adjective or adverb: al te vroeg.[2][1]
  4. Conceding a point: Hij is, zo al niet rijk, dan toch welgesteld.[2]
  5. Stressing that something goes on: Ze liep al zingend door de tuin.[2]
  6. yet, in questions: Is de post al gekomen?[1]

Conjunction

  1. Although, even if: Al is het koud, we gaan toch wandelen.[4][8][1]

Word family

Usage notes

Van Dale records een en al “nothing but”, hoop en al “all told, at most” and al met al “all things considered”.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
  3. ^ a b c 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
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t 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 c d Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill
  6. ^ a b Vries, Jan de; Tollenaere, Félicien de (2004), Etymologisch woordenboek: onze woorden, hun oorsprong en ontwikkeling, 23rd ed., Utrecht: Het Spectrum, p. 48
  7. ^ a b c Vries, Jan de (1971), Nederlands etymologisch woordenboek, Leiden: Brill
  8. ^ a b c d Franck, Johannes; Wijk, Nicolaas van (1912), Franck's Etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal, 2nd ed., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff
  9. ^ a b c d Sijs, Nicoline van der (2001), Chronologisch woordenboek: de ouderdom en herkomst van onze woorden en betekenissen, Amsterdam / Antwerpen: Veen
  10. ^ a b 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
  11. ^ Verwijs, Eelco; Verdam, Jacob (1885–1929), Middelnederlandsch woordenboek, 11 vols., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff; gtb.ivdnt.org
  12. ^ Sterkenburg, P. G. J. van (2001), Vloeken: een cultuurbepaalde reactie op woede, irritatie en frustratie, 2nd ed., Den Haag: Sdu
  13. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)