iets

Forms

iets^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle Dutch iets, an extension of iet (“something”), which is a contraction of iewet, inherited from Old Dutch iowiht.^[2][1][3] The Old Dutch word is a compound of ⟨ie-⟩ “anything at all”, the element also found in ieder, and a noun corresponding to wicht “creature”, whose original meaning must have been “thing”.^[2][1][4] The same compound is Old Saxon ēowiht, Old High German iowiht (obsolete modern German ⟨icht⟩) and Old English āwiht, contracted āht (modern English aught).^[2][4][5] The first part of German etwas has a quite different origin.^[2]

The final ⟨-s⟩ was added under the influence of niets, in which it is the ending of an old partitive genitive.^[2][3][6] Franck and Van Wijk thought instead that ⟨iets⟩ was abstracted from phrases such as ⟨iet(e)s iet⟩ and ⟨iet(e)s wat⟩, in which ⟨ietes⟩ was the genitive of ⟨iet⟩;^[5] the WNT derived it from Middle Dutch ietwes, a compound of ⟨iet⟩ with the genitive ⟨wes⟩ of wat, which Franck and Van Wijk found unlikely.^[7][5] Franck and Van Wijk also took the second part of ⟨iet⟩ to be the pronoun ⟨wat⟩ rather than ⟨wicht⟩;^[5][6] Van Haeringen rejected this.^[5][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Old Dutch iowiht “something” is recorded in the Willeram of about 1100.^[2] The Middle Dutch form iet appears in 1201–1225 in Floyris ende Blantseflour,^[2][3] and the VMNW's oldest record, from the Lower Rhine in 1201, has it as the subject of an impersonal verb: in mîme hus n[e] iet gescîet. dat u misseualle, “nothing happens in my house that displeases you”.^[8] The form with -s is first found in 1340–1360, in dits iets groets, “this is something great”.^[2][9]

Semantic evolution

Middle Dutch used iet as a pronoun for “something, anything” and as an adverb for “to any degree, at all”, “a little” and “perhaps”.^[8][1] In mystical prose it could even be a noun for a being: God es dat eewighe yet, “God is the eternal something” (1401).^[10] The longer iets gradually replaced iet, which by the early 20th century survived only in dialect, in poetry and in a few fixed expressions.^[7] One of these is the proverb als niet komt tot iet, kent iet zichzelf niet “when nothing comes to something, something does not know itself”, said of an upstart, recorded in proverb collections since the 16th century.^[11]

As an adverb meaning “somewhat”, as in iets achteruit “somewhat backwards”, iets appears in 1727.^[2][7] The compound ietwat “somewhat” goes back to Middle Dutch iet wat (1340–1360).^[2] In the 1980s iets moois “something beautiful” was used ironically for a love affair.^[12] Afrikaans has iets, and West Frisian borrowed yts from Dutch.^[1][13]

Timeline

• c. 1100 – Old Dutch iowiht appears in the Willeram.^[2]
• 1201 – Middle Dutch iet is recorded on the Lower Rhine.^[8]
• 1282 – The fuller form iewet is recorded.^[2]
• 1340–1360 – Iets and iet wat appear.^[2][9]
• 1401 – Dat eewighe yet “the eternal something” is used of God.^[10]
• 1727 – Iets is used as an adverb, “somewhat”.^[2][7]

Meanings

Pronoun

1. something, an unspecified thing: Er ligt iets onder de bank.^[14][1][15]
2. anything, in questions and conditions: Heb je iets gehoord?^[1]
3. Whatever fits the description given, as in iets anders “something else, another matter”.^[14]
4. Something of importance: Zij wil in het leven iets bereiken.^[14]

Noun

1. (het iets) A thing or notion that is hard to define: Die film heeft een zeker iets.^[14]

Adverb

1. A little, somewhat: Het is vandaag iets warmer.^[1][2]

Word family

• ietsje
• ietwat
• ietsisme
• ietsist

Related words

• niets
• ieder
• wicht
• English aught

Usage notes

Beter iets dan niets means that it is better to have a little than nothing at all.^[14]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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 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 Vries, Jan de (1971), Nederlands etymologisch woordenboek, Leiden: Brill
5. ^ a b c d e Franck, Johannes; Wijk, Nicolaas van (1912), Franck's Etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal, 2nd ed., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff
6. ^ a b c Haeringen, C. B. van (1936), Etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal: Supplement, 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff
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 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
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 Verwijs, Eelco; Verdam, Jacob (1885–1929), Middelnederlandsch woordenboek, 11 vols., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff; gtb.ivdnt.org
11. ^ Stoett, F. A. (1923–1925), Nederlandsche spreekwoorden, spreekwijzen, uitdrukkingen en gezegden, 4th ed., 3 vols., Zutphen: Thieme
12. ^ Reinsma, R. (1984), Neologismen, Utrecht: Spectrum
13. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)
14. ^ a b c d e Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
15. ^ Algemeen Nederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; anw.ivdnt.org