hoeven

Forms

hoeven^[1]

Etymology

Its likely source is from Dutch behoeven (“to need”), of which it is the colloquial form; the prefixed verb is recorded about three centuries earlier, the plain one only from 1588, when Kiliaan lists ⟨hoeven⟩ beside ⟨behoeven⟩.^[2][3][4][1] In most Middle Dutch pairs of verbs with and without be- the plain verb is the older, but the old West Germanic languages have only the prefixed one: Middle Low German behōven, Old Frisian bihōvia and Old English behōfian (modern English behove), from Proto-West Germanic *bihōfōn (“to need”), a verb made from *bihōf (“need”).^[2][4][5][1] The earliest plain verb elsewhere is late hōven (“to need”), beside West Frisian hoeve.^[2][4][5]

Wiktionary therefore takes ⟨hoeven⟩ to be a back-formation.^[1] The Etymologisch woordenboek van het Nederlands knows no parallel and thinks it likelier that the verb entered the standard language from the northeast, under Low German or Frisian influence, where verbs had fewer prefixes; it notes that southern Dutch dialects do not have the word.^[2] Verdam assumed that the plain verb had been in Middle Dutch speech all along.^[6]

The verb is generally linked to heffen “to lift”: its vowel is that of the old past tense, Middle Dutch ⟨hoef⟩, and it may have begun as a causative, “to cause to lift”, then “to cause to take” and “to need”, though the steps can no longer be traced.^[2][4][5] Old Norse hóf (“right measure”) belongs with it.^[4][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Kiliaan's dictionary of 1588 lists hoeuen with behoeuen in the sense “to need”.^[2][7] Around 1610 hier hoeft hy grote vlijt means “here he needs great diligence”.^[2]

Semantic evolution

In Middle Dutch behoeven meant both “to need” and “to be needed”, and in Early Modern Dutch hoeven did too: rust hoeft oock den stercken mannen, “rest is needed by strong men too” (1618).^[2] Then the two verbs drew apart.^[2] Behoeven now means only “to need” and is bookish, while hoeven is used only with a negative, as in men hoeft den hont geen broot te geven, “there is no need to give the dog bread” (1632), and dat hoeft niet “that is not necessary” (1723), or with words such as maar and slechts that limit the sense.^[2][8] Positive uses like daarin hoefde men vast te gaan (1642) and a noun object, as in hy hoeft gien grijns “he needs no mask” (1610), have gone out of use.^[8]

In 1983 newspapers used niet zo nodig hoeven for “to lack ambition” and dat hoeft niet van mij for “I can do without that”.^[9] Javindo has hoef, and Afrikaans has hoef.^[10][1]

Timeline

• 1588 – Kiliaan lists hoeven beside behoeven.^[2][7]
• c. 1610 – Hier hoeft hy grote vlijt “here he needs great diligence”.^[2][8]
• 1618 – Hoeven “to be needed”.^[2]
• 1632 – Negative niet hoeven “not to have to”.^[2][8]
• 1723 – Dat hoeft niet “that is not necessary”.^[2]
• 1983 – Niet zo nodig hoeven “to lack ambition”.^[9]

Meanings

Verb

1. (with te, in negative or limiting sentences) To have to, need to: Je hoeft morgen niet te werken.^[11][1][12]
2. (intransitive, of things, negated) To be necessary: Een cadeau hoeft echt niet.^[11][1]
3. (transitive, with maar) To need only: Ik hoef er maar één.^[1][2]
4. (intransitive, euphemistic) To need to go to the toilet.^[1]

Related words

• behoeven
• behoefte
• heffen
• English behove

Usage notes

In Belgian Dutch hoeven is known from the north but not usual; moeten is used instead, as in “I only need two” said with moeten.^[2] Behoeven remains the formal word.^[2][8]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r 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. ^ Veen, P. A. F. van; Sijs, Nicoline van der (1997), Etymologisch woordenboek: de herkomst van onze woorden, 2nd ed., Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Lexicografie
4. ^ a b c d e Vries, Jan de (1971), Nederlands etymologisch woordenboek, Leiden: Brill
5. ^ a b c d Franck, Johannes; Wijk, Nicolaas van (1912), Franck's Etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal, 2nd ed., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff
6. ^ Verwijs, Eelco; Verdam, Jacob (1885–1929), Middelnederlandsch woordenboek, 11 vols., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff; gtb.ivdnt.org
7. ^ a b Sijs, Nicoline van der (2001), Chronologisch woordenboek: de ouderdom en herkomst van onze woorden en betekenissen, Amsterdam / Antwerpen: Veen
8. ^ a b c d e 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
9. ^ a b Reinsma, R. (1984), Neologismen, Utrecht: Spectrum
10. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)
11. ^ a b Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
12. ^ WikiWoordenboek (Dutch Wiktionary), nl.wiktionary.org