fout

Forms

fout f (plural fouten, diminutive foutje n)^[1] The older spelling faute (also faulte) was in use until the 18th century.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle Dutch faute, borrowed from Old French faute (“sin against religious or moral rules; adultery”).^[2][1] The French word developed from Vulgar Latin *fallita, the feminine noun use of *fallitus, a regularised form of the irregular past participle of Latin fallō (“to deceive, let down”).^[2][4][5] Van Veen and Van der Sijs connect it instead with Medieval Latin falta, defalta “failure to keep a promise”.^[6] The same French word gave Middle English faute (modern English fault).^[7]

The spelling ⟨faulte⟩ may show the influence of Medieval Latin, but more probably follows the Middle French spelling.^[2] The old ⟨au⟩ gave way to ⟨ou⟩, probably because ⟨au⟩ otherwise occurred in Dutch only in the ending ⟨-auw⟩.^[2] The adjective “wrong” grew out of the noun in predicate position, ⟨die faut is⟩ (1548), and only later came before nouns, ⟨een foute optelling⟩ (1906); the synonym foutief, from French fautif, is older in that position.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The word is first recorded in 1265–1270, in the plural fauten “failings, imperfections, guilt”.^[2][8] In 1284 a charter uses faute for a failure to pay: bi fauten van onsen paiemente, “if our payments should fail”.^[2]

Semantic evolution

In Middle Dutch and early modern Dutch the word meant lack or default, as in by faute van “for want of” (1598) and zonder faute “without fail” (1566).^[3] From there it came to mean a defect of character (1580) or of a thing, and a blameworthy act (1567); “an inaccuracy in a piece of work” is recorded in 1613.^[3][2] As in French, the meaning widened from “failure to meet the rules” to “error”.^[2]

In modern Dutch the adjective has further senses: fout in de oorlog is said of someone who collaborated with the German occupier in the Second World War, and colloquially fout means tasteless or not done, as in foute kleren and foute grappen.^[9][1] In de fout gaan “to make a mistake” came from harness racing, where a trotter breaking into a gallop was said to go wrong; it is recorded from the 1970s.^[10][11][9] The word was borrowed into Papiamentu (fout), Sranan Tongo (fowtu) and Negerhollands.^[12][1]

Timeline

• 1265–1270 – Middle Dutch fauten “failings” is first recorded.^[2][8]
• 1284 – Faute is used of a failure to pay.^[2]
• 1548 – The word is used as a predicate adjective, “wrong”.^[2]
• 1566 – Zonder faute “without fail” is recorded.^[3]
• 1613 – Fout “an error in a piece of work” is recorded.^[2]
• 1906 – Een foute optelling shows the adjective before a noun.^[2]
• 1974 – In de fout gaan “to slip up” is recorded in a news magazine.^[10]

Meanings

Noun

1. mistake, error, an inaccuracy: Er staan drie fouten in deze brief.^[9][1]
2. A fault or defect; a bad trait.^[9][1]
3. A wrong act; blame: het is mijn fout, it is my fault.^[9]
4. (mathematics) The difference between an approximation and the true value.^[9]

Adjective

1. wrong, incorrect: Dat antwoord is fout.^[9][1]
2. Not as it should be;^[9][1] (colloquial) tasteless, cheesy or not politically correct.^[9][1]
3. (historical) Having sided with the German occupier or with the far right in the Second World War.^[9][1][13]

Word family

• denkfout
• drukfout
• rekenfout
• spelfout
• taalfout
• schrijffout
• karakterfout
• foutloos
• foutparkeerder

Related words

• foutief
• falen
• English fault

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o 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 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. ^ Vries, Jan de (1971), Nederlands etymologisch woordenboek, Leiden: Brill
5. ^ Vries, Jan de; Tollenaere, Félicien de (2004), Etymologisch woordenboek: onze woorden, hun oorsprong en ontwikkeling, 23rd ed., Utrecht: Het Spectrum, p. 130
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. ^ Franck, Johannes; Wijk, Nicolaas van (1912), Franck's Etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal, 2nd ed., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff
8. ^ a b Sijs, Nicoline van der (2001), Chronologisch woordenboek: de ouderdom en herkomst van onze woorden en betekenissen, Amsterdam / Antwerpen: Veen
9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
10. ^ a b Reinsma, R. (1975), Signalement van nieuwe woorden, Amsterdam: Elsevier
11. ^ Reinsma, R. (1984), Neologismen, Utrecht: Spectrum
12. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)
13. ^ WikiWoordenboek (Dutch Wiktionary), nl.wiktionary.org