bedankt

Forms

bedankt^[1]

Etymology

The interjection is the past participle from Dutch bedanken (“to thank”), used on its own as a word of thanks.^[2][1][3] As with other verbs in ⟨be-⟩, the participle has no ⟨ge-⟩: it is the stem with the ending ⟨-t⟩.^[3] The verb is inherited from Middle Dutch bedanken, like Middle Low German bedanken, formed with be- from dank or danken.^[4][5][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The verb bedanken is recorded from the 14th century, at first in the sense “to give someone reason for satisfaction” and, reflexively, “to be content, to thank”.^[4] The WNT, in its volume of 1896, gives Wel bedankt! beside Ik bedank u wel! as phrases for thanking someone, and records the southern Ge zijt wel bedankt!^[5]

Semantic evolution

In the 17th century bedankt was also an adjective meaning “content, satisfied”.^[4] The verb came to mean thanking someone in the usual polite formulas, and also declining an offer with thanks, as in Ik moet u bedanken (1784); from this the interjection can be a polite refusal too.^[5][3] In the south Ge zijt feestelijk bedankt! was said for not wanting anything to do with a thing, where the north said Ik dank je feestelijk.^[5]

Timeline

• 1340 – Middle Dutch bedanken is first quoted.^[4]
• 1539 – Ick bedancke v “I thank you”.^[5]
• 1784 – Bedanken in the sense of declining an invitation.^[5]
• 1896 – The WNT records Wel bedankt! as a formula of thanks.^[5]

Meanings

Interjection

1. thanks, thank you: Bedankt voor de bloemen!^[2][1][3]
2. No thanks, a polite way of turning down an offer.^[3]

Related words

• dank
• danken

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b Algemeen Nederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; anw.ivdnt.org
3. ^ a b c d e WikiWoordenboek (Dutch Wiktionary), nl.wiktionary.org
4. ^ a b c d Verwijs, Eelco; Verdam, Jacob (1885–1929), Middelnederlandsch woordenboek, 11 vols., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff; gtb.ivdnt.org
5. ^ a b c d e f g 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