betalen

Forms

betalen^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle Dutch betalen, formed with the prefix be- from the Middle Dutch verb talen (“to speak, tell; to claim at law; also to pay”), now talen.^[2][3][1] That verb was made from the nouns that are now taal “language” and tal “number”.^[2][4] The WNT takes the verb to have meant at first “to count out (to someone)”.^[5]

The same prefixed verb is Middle High German bezaln (“to count up, reckon”), modern German bezahlen, and Old Frisian bitalia (“to pay”).^[2] The simple verb is Old Saxon talon (“to reckon”), Old High German zalōn (“to count, reckon, pay”), Old English talian (“to reckon, tell”) and Old Norse tala (“to speak”), from Proto-Germanic *talōną.^[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The oldest record is in the Brabant Life of Lutgart of 1265–70.^[2][3] A Ghent guild ordinance of 1270 already uses it in the modern way: guests at the feast moeten betalen ghelijc den broeders, “must pay the same as the brothers”.^[3][6]

Semantic evolution

From the first records betalen meant to pay a debt, rent or price, with the money or the creditor as object.^[3] In wider use it meant to requite, reward or atone for something: a text of 1276–1300 has the participle betaelt “repaid”.^[2][3] Medieval soldiers used enen betalen ironically for “to receive someone with blows”, and der doot sine scout betalen, “to pay one's debt to death”, meant to die, like the later de laatste tol der natuur betalen (1806).^[7][5]

Het gelag betalen was first to pay the bill at an inn, for oneself and one's companions, and so came to mean to take the punishment for others.^[8][5] Leergeld betalen, “to learn by bitter experience”, is recorded from 1865.^[5] Intransitively a job or an activity betaalt when it brings in money.^[9]

The verb was borrowed by the Scandinavian languages, Danish betale and Swedish betala (from Dutch or Low German), by English as the obsolete betall, and through Afrikaans betaal by Xhosa and Zulu;^[10][1] Negerhollands has betaal.^[10][1]

Timeline

• 1265–1270 – First recorded, in the Life of Lutgart.^[2][3]
• 1270 – A Ghent guild ordinance says that guests must pay like the brothers.^[3][6]
• 1276–1300 – The participle betaelt “repaid, requited”.^[2]
• 1301 – Ironic enen betalen “to give someone a beating” in a Flemish romance.^[7]
• 1806 – De laatste tol betalen, a euphemism for dying.^[5]
• 1865 – Leergeld betalen “to learn the hard way”.^[5]

Meanings

Verb

1. (transitive, also absolute) to pay an amount owed: Ik heb de huur nog niet betaald.^[9][11][1]
2. (transitive) to pay for goods or services: Hoeveel heb je voor die fiets betaald?^[9][5]
3. (transitive) to pay for, suffer the consequences of: Hij heeft zijn roekeloosheid duur betaald.^[9][1]
4. (intransitive, of a job or activity) to bring in money: Dat werk betaalt slecht.^[9]

Word family

• aanbetalen
• afbetalen
• betaalbaar
• betaalkaart
• betaalmeester
• betaalmiddel
• betaling
• onderbetaald
• terugbetalen
• uitbetalen
• betaler
• bijbetalen

Related words

• talen
• taal
• tal
• tellen
• German bezahlen

Usage notes

Wie betaalt, bepaalt, “who pays decides”, and the shop slogan twee halen, één betalen are common set phrases.^[9] Iemand iets betaald zetten means to take revenge on someone for something.^[10]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h 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 c d e f g 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
4. ^ Vries, Jan de; Tollenaere, Félicien de (2004), Etymologisch woordenboek: onze woorden, hun oorsprong en ontwikkeling, 23rd ed., Utrecht: Het Spectrum, p. 69
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
6. ^ a b Sijs, Nicoline van der (2001), Chronologisch woordenboek: de ouderdom en herkomst van onze woorden en betekenissen, Amsterdam / Antwerpen: Veen
7. ^ a b Verwijs, Eelco; Verdam, Jacob (1885–1929), Middelnederlandsch woordenboek, 11 vols., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff; gtb.ivdnt.org
8. ^ Stoett, F. A. (1923–1925), Nederlandsche spreekwoorden, spreekwijzen, uitdrukkingen en gezegden, 4th ed., 3 vols., Zutphen: Thieme
9. ^ a b c d e f Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
10. ^ a b c Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)
11. ^ Algemeen Nederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; anw.ivdnt.org