Etymologically
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niks

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Pronunciation

Forms

niks[1]

Etymology

It is probably borrowed from German nix, a colloquial and dialectal form of nichts (“nothing”).[2][3][1] The Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal finds it in the Netherlands from the 18th century, perhaps borrowed earlier, and notes that the German derivation was already proposed in 1843.[2]

The same form is old in Yiddish, recorded in a prayer-book rhyme of 1544.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first records date from 1784: Ik geloof nix aan den Satan, “I don't believe in Satan at all”, and, in the same year, someone who confided dat hy niks geloofde, “that he believed nothing”.[2][3][5]

Semantic evolution

From the start niks meant both “nothing” and “not at all”, and it was used to strengthen another negative, as in niks niemendal (1865).[2] In jest it could be a noun, een mooie niks, a pretty nothing.[2] From it Dutch formed niksen “to do nothing” and niksnut “good-for-nothing”.[2] Today it is the informal word for niets, with phrases such as voor niks, free, and drie keer niks, nothing at all.[6] In The Hague the curse krijg nou niks! amounts to a wish that the other may die.[7]

Dutch or German speakers carried the word abroad: American English nix “no, nothing” comes from Dutch or German, Danish niks and Swedish nix from Dutch or Low German; it lives on in Sranan nèks, Berbice Dutch neks and Javindo neks, and through Afrikaans it reached South African English.[8][1]

Timeline

  • 1784 – Nix and niks are first recorded.[2][3]
  • 1843 – The derivation from German nix is proposed.[2]
  • 1865 – Niks niemendal “nothing whatsoever”.[2]

Meanings

Pronoun

  1. (informal) nothing.[6][1][9]

Adverb

  1. (informal) Not at all, in no way: niks geen zin hebben, not to feel like it at all.[6][2]

Adjective

  1. (informal, predicative) Dull, uninteresting, or unpleasant: dat is niks, that's no good.[1]

Word family

  • niksen
  • niksnut

Usage notes

The phrase mir niks, dir niks, “just like that, without ceremony”, came into Dutch from Yiddish.[4] In the south, for example in Antwerp and Bruges, there is also a diminutive nikske.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k 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 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 Kamp, Jacob van de; Wijk, Jacob van der (2006), Koosjer Nederlands: Joodse woorden in de Nederlandse taal, Amsterdam: Contact
  5. ^ Aarts, Flor (2017), Etymologisch dictionairke vaan 't Mestreechs, Maastricht
  6. ^ a b c Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
  7. ^ Sterkenburg, P. G. J. van (2001), Vloeken: een cultuurbepaalde reactie op woede, irritatie en frustratie, 2nd ed., Den Haag: Sdu
  8. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)
  9. ^ Algemeen Nederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; anw.ivdnt.org