Etymologically
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nooit

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Pronunciation

Forms

nooit[1] Nooint was common in the past and is still used in Flanders.[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle Dutch noit, also noint, probably formed from Dutch n- + ooit, with the negative particle of nee.[3][1][4][5] The EWN and Heeroma think it was formed on the model of pairs such as niets beside iets, niemand beside iemand, nergens beside ergens, and above all Middle Dutch nie (“never”) beside ie (“ever”).[3][6][7] Neither word has been found in the related Germanic languages.[8][9]

The source of the ⟨n⟩ in the variant ⟨noint⟩, as in the opposite ⟨oint⟩, is unknown.[3] Heeroma derived it from an original ⟨*nooitnie⟩, through ⟨*nooiniet⟩ or ⟨*nooitn⟩.[3][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The oldest records are in the Life of Saint Lutgard (1265–1270), from western Brabant.[10][3][8] There noit also appears after a comparative where modern Dutch has ooit: Meer dan ic noit was teuoren, “more than I ever was before”.[3][8] The same text says that God Lutgarden noit nit nonsseide, “never refused Lutgard” such things.[3]

Semantic evolution

In Middle Dutch nooit referred to the past: Kiliaan glosses noyt with Latin nunquam and notes that it refers to time gone by, while nemmer and nimmermeer served for the future.[9] It could also mean “not at all”, a use still heard in dat is nooit waar.[9] In questions, conditions and after comparatives it could mean the same as ooit.[9][3]

Older Dutch put a second negative with it, as in En hebben noynt gheene … (1562), and the colloquial nooit niet continues this.[2][11] Houses and pleasure gardens were named Nooit Gedacht or Nooit Volmaakt.[2]

Through Afrikaans the word reached South African English as an exclamation of disbelief, nooit!.[12][1] It also lives on in Negerhollands (nooit, which passed on noit to Virgin Islands Creole), Berbice Dutch (noiti) and Sranan Tongo (Sranan Tongo noiti), which passed it on to Aukan and Saramaccan.[12][1]

Timeline

  • 1265–1270 – Middle Dutch noit appears in the Life of Saint Lutgard.[10][8]
  • 1276 – Noit “never (in the past)” is recorded in West Flanders.[8]
  • 1285 – The variant noint is recorded.[3]
  • 1562 – Noynt is still used with a second negative.[2]
  • 1874 – The Flemish intensive nooit of nooit is quoted.[2]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. never, at no time.[11][1][13] Ik ben nog nooit in Lissabon geweest. Nooit ofte nimmer means never ever.[11]
  2. Certainly not, by no means.[11][9] Dat kan nooit waar zijn. Je kunt nooit weten: one never knows.[11]

Usage notes

Nooit niet is colloquial and emphatic.[11] The southern nooit of nooit strengthens the word.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f 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 d e f g h i 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
  4. ^ Veen, P. A. F. van; Sijs, Nicoline van der (1997), Etymologisch woordenboek: de herkomst van onze woorden, 2nd ed., Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Lexicografie
  5. ^ Franck, Johannes; Wijk, Nicolaas van (1912), Franck's Etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal, 2nd ed., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff
  6. ^ a b Vries, Jan de (1971), Nederlands etymologisch woordenboek, Leiden: Brill
  7. ^ Vries, Jan de; Tollenaere, Félicien de (2004), Etymologisch woordenboek: onze woorden, hun oorsprong en ontwikkeling, 23rd ed., Utrecht: Het Spectrum, p. 265
  8. ^ 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
  9. ^ a b c d e Verwijs, Eelco; Verdam, Jacob (1885–1929), Middelnederlandsch woordenboek, 11 vols., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff; gtb.ivdnt.org
  10. ^ a b Sijs, Nicoline van der (2001), Chronologisch woordenboek: de ouderdom en herkomst van onze woorden en betekenissen, Amsterdam / Antwerpen: Veen
  11. ^ a b c d e f Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
  12. ^ a b Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)
  13. ^ Algemeen Nederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; anw.ivdnt.org