alleen

Forms

alleen (comparative allener, superlative alleenst)^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle Dutch allêne, inherited from Old Dutch *allēno, a compound from Dutch al + een: the intensifying adverb al “entirely” and the weak form ⟨ene⟩ of the numeral een.^[2][1][3][4] In the older Germanic languages the numeral meant “alone” as well as “one”, as Gothic 𐌰𐌹𐌽𐍃 (ains) and Old English ān still did.^[5][6] The doubled ⟨ll⟩ comes from the close joining of the parts.^[5][4]

The same compound is Middle Low German allēne, Middle High German alein (modern German allein), Old Frisian allēna (modern West Frisian allinne) and late Old English eall āna, whence English alone.^[2][7][3] Van Haeringen thought that the Danish and Swedish words were taken over from Low German.^[8] Van der Sijs gives their source as Dutch or Low German.^[9]

Earliest recorded meaning

Middle Dutch allene is first found in Ghent in 1236.^[2][4] A Limburg glossary of 1240 gives it for Latin solus “alone” and dumtaxat “only”, the adjective and the adverb.^[4][10]

Semantic evolution

In Middle Dutch allene also meant “entirely one, identical” (1287), and as an adverb “in the same way” and “at the same time”.^[4][11] A Bruges charter of 1300 uses it for a person living without a spouse.^[4] A Flemish rule of 1370 speaks of animals die allene sterven, which died a natural death and were not slaughtered.^[11] The strong form alleen at first appeared only in rhyme; by the 17th century it prevailed, although alleene was still written in the States Bible and by Hooft.^[5][11]

The adverb alleen “only” is the source of niet alleen … maar ook “not only … but also”.^[5] Used as a conjunction for a plain contrast, as in German allein, Moortgat considered it a germanism,^[12] and alleen gaan for something that goes smoothly was a gallicism after French aller tout seul.^[13] The Scandinavian languages have alene and allena, and Negerhollands and Berbice Dutch kept alleen and alen.^[9][1]

Timeline

• 1236 – Middle Dutch allene is recorded in Ghent.^[2][4]
• 1240 – A Limburg glossary gives allene for Latin solus and dumtaxat.^[4][10]
• 1287 – Allene means “entirely one, identical”.^[4]
• 1300 – A Bruges charter uses allene for an unmarried person.^[4]
• 1642 – Hooft still writes alleene.^[5]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (predicative) alone, without company: Ze woont sinds vorig jaar alleen.^[14][15][1]
2. Without anyone's help: Dat krijg ik alleen niet voor elkaar.^[14][15]
3. Without a partner, single.^[15]
4. lonely.^[15][1]

Adverb

1. only, merely, nothing but: Alleen de voordeur was nog open.^[14][1]
2. With this reservation, but: Het is een mooi huis, alleen ligt het aan een drukke weg.^[14][15]

Word family

• alleenstaand
• alleenheerschappij
• alleenheerser
• alleenrecht
• alleenspraak
• alleenzaligmakend
• allenig
• alleengaand

Related words

• al
• een
• English alone
• German allein

Usage notes

Moederziel alleen “all alone” goes back to Middle Dutch (al)moederene, in which ene meant “separated from”, so that the phrase first meant “separated even from one's mother”; it was reinterpreted with alleen and strengthened with ziel.^[16] The seventeenth century also said moerlijck alleen.^[16]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d 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
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 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
5. ^ a b c d e 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
6. ^ Vercoullie, Jozef (1925), Beknopt etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal, 3rd ed., 's-Gravenhage / Gent: Nijhoff / Van Rysselberghe & Rombaut
7. ^ Vries, Jan de (1971), Nederlands etymologisch woordenboek, Leiden: Brill
8. ^ Haeringen, C. B. van (1936), Etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal: Supplement, 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff
9. ^ a b Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)
10. ^ a b Sijs, Nicoline van der (2001), Chronologisch woordenboek: de ouderdom en herkomst van onze woorden en betekenissen, Amsterdam / Antwerpen: Veen
11. ^ a b c Verwijs, Eelco; Verdam, Jacob (1885–1929), Middelnederlandsch woordenboek, 11 vols., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff; gtb.ivdnt.org
12. ^ Moortgat, A. (1925), Germanismen in het Nederlandsch, Gent
13. ^ Vreese, Willem de (1899), Gallicismen in het Zuidnederlandsch, Gent: Siffer
14. ^ a b c d Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
15. ^ a b c d e Algemeen Nederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; anw.ivdnt.org
16. ^ a b Stoett, F. A. (1923–1925), Nederlandsche spreekwoorden, spreekwijzen, uitdrukkingen en gezegden, 4th ed., 3 vols., Zutphen: Thieme