Etymologically
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jou

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Pronunciation

Forms

jou[1] Without stress the form is je.[2][3] The possessive is jouw, from Middle Dutch juwe, jouwe.[4]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle Dutch jou, inherited from Old Dutch *jū, inherited from Proto-Germanic *iwwiz, the object form of the pronoun of the second person, at first only in the plural.[4][1] The Germanic form was Proto-Germanic *izwiz, which became Proto-Germanic *iwwiz by dissimilation in West and North Germanic.[4][1] The same pronoun is Old Saxon iu, Old High German iu (dative) and iuwih (accusative), which merged in modern German euch, Old Frisian jo, Old English ēow (modern English you), Old Norse yðr and Gothic 𐌹𐌶𐍅𐌹𐍃 (izwis).[4] The Germanic form is hard to explain from the other Indo-European pronouns of the second person plural.[4] Its ⟨*-wiz⟩ may be connected with Latin vōs (“you”), and ⟨*izwiz⟩ may have arisen by dissimilation from a doubled ⟨*wiz-wiz⟩.[4]

The form with ⟨j-⟩ is a western, coastal (Ingvaeonic) variant of Middle Dutch u, the object form of gij.[4][5][6] As ⟨gi⟩ went from a plural to a singular and plural pronoun, the object form followed.[4] ⟨U⟩ was far more usual in writing, but in Holland ⟨ju⟩ joined the subject form jij, and the change of final /u/ to /ou/ in much of the language area produced ⟨jou⟩.[4][7] Wiktionary calls it a northern, perhaps Frisian variant, and so a doublet of ⟨u⟩.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The plural is recorded in the 10th-century Wachtendonck Psalms, in reslāt alla iu, “he destroys you all”.[4] Middle Dutch charters have wie doen ju te wetene “we let you know” in 1274 and vie doen jou allen tewetene in 1282, still addressed to several people.[4]

Semantic evolution

In Middle Dutch the form served for both singular and plural, and also as a possessive, as it still does in Holland dialects.[7] In 1550 the grammarian Lambrecht noted that the Hollanders said ic hebt iou ghegheven where others said u.[4] After that the pair jij and jou developed together, until jou became only the object form of jij.[4] English you and West Frisian jo went further and became subject forms too.[7]

In address the word is used for scolding, as in jou ezel! “you ass!”.[2][8] It lives on in Afrikaans jou and in Petjo.[1]

Timeline

  • 901–1000 – The plural iu appears in the Wachtendonck Psalms.[4]
  • 1274 – Middle Dutch ju is recorded in a charter.[4]
  • 1280 – Jouwe minne “your love” uses it as a possessive.[7]
  • 1282 – The spelling jou is recorded.[4]
  • 1330 – Van der Sijs dates the personal pronoun to this year.[9][6]
  • 1550 – Lambrecht notes the singular use in Holland.[4]

Meanings

Pronoun

  1. you: the object form of jij, stressed: Ik heb het aan jou gegeven, niet aan hem.[3][1]
  2. In abusive address before a noun: jou sufferd![2][8]

Word family

  • jouzelf

Usage notes

Ik heb het tegen jou makes clear who is meant, and een klap van heb ik jou daar is a tremendous blow.[3] Unrelated is jou “yes” in the Dutch of Amsterdam Jews, from Western Yiddish, as in jou oder lou, “yes or no”.[10][11]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c 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
  3. ^ a b c Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q 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
  5. ^ Vries, Jan de (1971), Nederlands etymologisch woordenboek, Leiden: Brill
  6. ^ a b 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 Verwijs, Eelco; Verdam, Jacob (1885–1929), Middelnederlandsch woordenboek, 11 vols., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff; gtb.ivdnt.org
  8. ^ a b Haeringen, C. B. van (1936), Etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal: Supplement, 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff
  9. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2001), Chronologisch woordenboek: de ouderdom en herkomst van onze woorden en betekenissen, Amsterdam / Antwerpen: Veen
  10. ^ Kamp, Jacob van de; Wijk, Jacob van der (2006), Koosjer Nederlands: Joodse woorden in de Nederlandse taal, Amsterdam: Contact
  11. ^ Beem, H. (1975), Resten van een taal: woordenboekje van het Nederlandse Jiddisch, Assen: Van Gorcum