binnen

Forms

binnen^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle Dutch binnen, inherited from Old Dutch binnan, formed with the Proto-Germanic prefix *bi- (see be-) and the adverb *innana (“within”), a derivative of *in (“in”) (see in).^[2][3][4][1] Middle Dutch has no trace of the simple adverb, unlike beneden, made in the same way, beside which Middle Dutch still had neden (“below”).^[2] The suffix ⟨*-ana⟩ originally expressed direction, “from within”.^[2][1]

With the prefix the word is found only in the North Sea Germanic languages: Middle Low German binnen, Middle High German binnen (modern German binnen, now only of time), Old Frisian binna (modern West Frisian binnen) and Old English binnan.^[2][4] Without it there are Old Saxon innan, Old High German innana, Old Norse innan and Gothic 𐌹𐌽𐌽𐌰𐌽𐌰 (innana, “within”).^[2][5] boven, buiten and Middle Dutch bachten (“behind”) are built with the same prefix.^[4][6]

Middle Dutch also had a short preposition bin, still used in Flanders and on the Zaan.^[5][7] The MNW contracts it from ⟨be-in⟩, while De Vries and Franck–Van Wijk see a blend of the longer form with in.^[8][4][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record is Old Dutch, from Werden in the second half of the 12th century: something was also ein hus geschaffen unde manichualt binnen gemachet, “was shaped like a house and made with many parts inside”.^[3][2] In Middle Dutch the adverb is first found in 1201–1225 in the romance of Floris, and the preposition in Ghent in 1236, in binnen den hus, “within the house”.^[9][2][10]

Semantic evolution

Middle Dutch already used binnen and bin both of space and of time: binnen den jare, within the year, and bin desen, meanwhile.^[8][10] Of a town it could simply mean “in the town”, as opposed to buten, outside the walls.^[10] The time sense, “before a period has passed”, runs through the later language, as in a 1545 ordinance on the period of a banishment.^[7]

At sea binnen meant inside the harbour: Winschoten explains in 1681 that het schip is binnen means the ship is in port.^[11] From this sailors' phrase binnen zijn came to mean “to be safe, to have made one's fortune”, and in colloquial Dutch someone who is binnen is set for life.^[12][1]

Dutch spread the word: German took binnen “inside the harbour, aboard” from Dutch or Low German, Indonesian binen (“to be successful”) came into Indonesian, and it lives on in Negerhollands bini, Berbice Dutch ben and Afrikaans binne.^[13][1]

Timeline

• 1151–1200 – Old Dutch binnen “inside” in a text from Werden.^[3][2]
• 1201–1225 – Middle Dutch adverb binnen in the Floris romance.^[9][2]
• 1236 – The preposition binnen den hus in Ghent.^[10]
• 1277 – The short form bin, fused in binden ambochte, in Flanders.^[8]
• 1545 – Binnen den tijd “within the period” of a banishment.^[7]
• 1681 – Winschoten explains het schip is binnen.^[11]

Meanings

Adverb

1. inside, indoors: in a building or enclosed space.^[14][1]
2. With naar: inward, into a space.^[14][1]

Preposition

1. within, inside the limits of a space or area: binnen de stadsmuren, within the town walls.^[14][1]
2. Within a time, in less than: binnen een uur, within an hour.^[14][1]

Adjective

1. (colloquial, predicative) Set for life, having made enough money to stop working.^[1][12]

Word family

• binnenkant
• binnenkomen
• binnenkort
• binnenland
• binnenlands
• binnenshuis
• binnenstad
• binnenplaats
• binnenvaart
• binnenvetter
• binnenin
• vanbinnen
• binnenst

Related words

• in
• buiten
• boven
• beneden
• German binnen

Usage notes

Te binnen schieten means to come to mind.^[1] The old genitive after binnen survives in a number of fixed expressions.^[7]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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 Oudnederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; gtb.ivdnt.org
4. ^ a b c d Vries, Jan de (1971), Nederlands etymologisch woordenboek, Leiden: Brill
5. ^ a b c Franck, Johannes; Wijk, Nicolaas van (1912), Franck's Etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal, 2nd ed., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff
6. ^ Veen, P. A. F. van; Sijs, Nicoline van der (1997), Etymologisch woordenboek: de herkomst van onze woorden, 2nd ed., Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Lexicografie
7. ^ a b c d 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
8. ^ a b c Verwijs, Eelco; Verdam, Jacob (1885–1929), Middelnederlandsch woordenboek, 11 vols., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff; gtb.ivdnt.org
9. ^ a b Sijs, Nicoline van der (2001), Chronologisch woordenboek: de ouderdom en herkomst van onze woorden en betekenissen, Amsterdam / Antwerpen: Veen
10. ^ a b c d 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. ^ a b Winschoten, Wigardus à (1681), Seeman: behelsende een grondige uitlegging van de Neederlandse konst- en spreekwoorden, voor soo veel die uit de seevaart sijn ontleend, Leiden
12. ^ a b Stoett, F. A. (1923–1925), Nederlandsche spreekwoorden, spreekwijzen, uitdrukkingen en gezegden, 4th ed., 3 vols., Zutphen: Thieme
13. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)
14. ^ a b c d Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers