Etymologically
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alsof

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Pronunciation

  • /ɑlsˈɔf/, /ɑlˈsɔf/[1]

Forms

alsof (conjunction, invariable)[1]

Etymology

It is from Dutch als + of: Middle Dutch alse ofte joined the conjunction of comparison als “as” and the conjunction of in the sense “if”, so that the phrase meant “as (it would be) if”.[2][3][4] German has the same construction, als ob.[3] It used to be written separately and became one word later.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The earliest Middle Dutch record is from the Lower Rhine about 1220, in the line alsof hi al verwondet ware, “as if he were wounded all over”, and the conjunction appears in a Ghent charter of 1237.[2]

Semantic evolution

From the start alsof introduced a clause describing something unreal, used for comparison.[2][3] The verb after it was originally in the subjunctive, as in the 1688 States Bible als of ick niet geweest en ware, but the indicative later became usual, except for ware from zijn.[3] It is especially common after verbs such as doen, zich houden and eruitzien, and with the main clause left out it introduces an exclamation of rejection.[3][5]

Dutch alsof passed into West Frisian as of and Negerhollands as of.[6]

Timeline

  • c. 1220 – Middle Dutch alsof “as if” in a Lower Rhine text.[2]
  • 1237 – The conjunction in a Ghent charter.[2]
  • 1545 – Earliest quotation in the Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal.[3]
  • 1688 – Als of ick niet geweest en ware in the States Bible.[3]

Meanings

Conjunction

  1. as if, as though, introducing an unreal comparison: hij keek alsof hij een spook zag.[5][1][7]
  2. With the main clause left out, rejecting an idea: alsof ik dat niet wist!.[3]

Usage notes

Doen alsof means “to pretend”, and het is alsof de duivel ermee speelt is said when things keep going wrong.[5] The stress falls on of.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e 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
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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. ^ Algemeen Nederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; anw.ivdnt.org
  5. ^ a b c Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
  6. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)
  7. ^ WikiWoordenboek (Dutch Wiktionary), nl.wiktionary.org