lang

Forms

lang (comparative langer, superlative langst)^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle Dutch lanc, inherited from Old Dutch lang, inherited from Proto-West Germanic *lang, inherited from Proto-Germanic *langaz (“long”).^[2][1][3] The same word is Old Saxon lang, Old High German lang (modern German lang), Old Frisian lang, Old English lang (modern English long), Old Norse langr and Gothic 𐌻𐌰𐌲𐌲𐍃 (laggs).^[2][4][3] It is related to Latin longus (“long”) and the name element Gaulish longo-, from Proto-Indo-European *longʰ-.^[2][4]

A wider Indo-European word for “long” is *delh₁gʰ-, the source of Ancient Greek δολιχός (dolikhós), Sanskrit दीर्घ (dīrghá), Old Church Slavonic длъгъ (dlŭgŭ), Lithuanian ilgas and Hittite daluki.^[2][4] The Philippa dictionary calls the link between the two roots very difficult in form, since it needs the loss of the ⟨d⟩ and of the laryngeal and a nasal infix, but finds it likely because the meaning is the same and the two groups never occur in the same language.^[2] Kroonen explains the Germanic word as a nasalised variant of that root.^[3] The idea that the Germanic and Latin words were borrowed from a pre-Indo-European language is, the Philippa dictionary says, unlikely.^[2]

The old adverb was Middle Dutch langhe, still used in West Flemish and kept in the phrase ⟨bij lange na niet⟩ “not by a long way”.^[2][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The adjective is first found in Old Dutch place names: Langenrech, now Langerak in Gelderland, “long watercourse”, in a document of 788–789 known from a 13th-century copy, and Langlo “long wood” on the Veluwe in 855.^[2][6] The adverb lango “for a long time” appears in the Wachtendonck Psalms of the 10th century.^[2][7]

Semantic evolution

Middle Dutch lanc was used of length and of duration alike, as the adjective still is.^[2][5] In the 13th century it could stand before a personal name as a nickname, as langhe jan “tall John” in Bruges in 1280, and lang still means “tall” of people.^[5][1] Middle Dutch also used lanc as a noun, “length”.^[8] On the Zaan a noun lang is the stringy quality of old rye bread.^[9]

Lange armen hebben, to have a long reach, power, goes back to the Middle Ages.^[10] With a negative the adverb means “by far”: lang niet slecht, not bad at all.^[11][1] In Surinamese Dutch iets langs is a long, weak drink.^[12] The adjective lives on in Afrikaans lank, in Negerhollands and Berbice Dutch, and in Sranan Tongo langa.^[13][1]

Timeline

• 788–789 – The Old Dutch place name Langenrech (Langerak).^[2][6]
• 855 – Langlo, a place on the Veluwe.^[2]
• 901–1000 – Old Dutch adverb lango “long” in the Wachtendonck Psalms.^[2][7]
• c. 1200 – Middle Dutch lanc.^[14]
• 1240 – Lanc glosses Latin procerus “tall”.^[5]
• 1280 – Langhe jan, a nickname, in Bruges.^[5]

Meanings

Adjective

1. long: having great length.^[11][1]
2. Having a stated length: twee meter lang.^[11][15]
3. Of people: tall.^[1]
4. Long in time, lengthy.^[11][1]
5. Lasting a stated time: iets niet langer doen, to stop doing something.^[11]

Adverb

1. With a negative: by far, not at all: lang niet gek, quite good.^[11][1]

Word family

• langen
• lengte
• verlangen
• langs
• lankmoedig
• langwerpig
• dagenlang
• eeuwenlang
• jarenlang
• langdradig
• langdurig
• langgerekt
• langzaam

Related words

• lengen
• English long
• German lang

Usage notes

Bij lange na niet, “not by a long way”, keeps the old adverb langhe.^[2] Het is zo lang als het breed is means that it comes to the same thing.^[11]

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 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 Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b c Vries, Jan de (1971), Nederlands etymologisch woordenboek, Leiden: Brill
5. ^ a b c d e 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
6. ^ a b Sijs, Nicoline van der (2001), Chronologisch woordenboek: de ouderdom en herkomst van onze woorden en betekenissen, Amsterdam / Antwerpen: Veen
7. ^ 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
8. ^ Verwijs, Eelco; Verdam, Jacob (1885–1929), Middelnederlandsch woordenboek, 11 vols., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff; gtb.ivdnt.org
9. ^ 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
10. ^ Stoett, F. A. (1923–1925), Nederlandsche spreekwoorden, spreekwijzen, uitdrukkingen en gezegden, 4th ed., 3 vols., Zutphen: Thieme
11. ^ a b c d e f g Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
12. ^ Donselaar, J. van (1989), Woordenboek van het Surinaams-Nederlands, Muiderberg: Coutinho
13. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)
14. ^ Vries, Jan de; Tollenaere, Félicien de (2004), Etymologisch woordenboek: onze woorden, hun oorsprong en ontwikkeling, 23rd ed., Utrecht: Het Spectrum, p. 220
15. ^ WikiWoordenboek (Dutch Wiktionary), nl.wiktionary.org