rustig

Forms

rustig (comparative rustiger, superlative rustigst)^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle Dutch rustich, formed from Dutch rust + -ig in Middle Dutch: the noun rust “rest” with the adjective suffix of nodig and aardig.^[2][3][1][4] Middle Low German rustich corresponds to it.^[2][3] Franck–Van Wijk note that the word appears first in later Middle Dutch theological and mystical texts.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The oldest record is from Holland in 1465, in a text where the speaker calls their possession something that makes them unconquerable, free, rich and rustich, at peace.^[2] A text of 1470 says that a peaceful heart is a rustich bedde, a quiet bed.^[2] The Chronologisch woordenboek dates the sense “calm, composed” to 1475.^[6]

Semantic evolution

In Middle Dutch the adjective was used of things (“quiet, still”) and of people (“peaceable, calm”); a mystical text of 1478 calls the peaceable die rustige.^[2] The Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal sorts the later senses as free of work, as in old age, free of cares, “not sleepless” of a night, “still, hardly moving”, as of the Scheldt under a gondola in 1869, “steady” of breathing, and “calm, not quick-tempered” of a person, as in 1785.^[3]

Today the word means “calm, not moving”, “unhurried”, “quiet” and “undisturbed”, and of colours “soft”, and in rustig aan doen it means “to take it easy”.^[7] As an adverb it also means “without qualms”.^[7][8] In Suriname rustig is the usual answer to “how are you?”, meaning “I'm fine”.^[1] The word passed into Indonesian as rustig and into Surinamese Javanese as risteg, both “calm”.^[9][1]

Timeline

• 1465 – Rustich “at peace” in a text from Holland.^[2]
• 1470 – Een rustich bedde “a quiet bed”.^[2]
• 1475 – The sense “calm, composed”.^[6]
• 1478 – Die rustige, the peaceable, as a noun.^[2]
• 1785 – Rustig “calm, even-tempered” of a young man.^[3]
• 1869 – De rustige Schelde, the still river.^[3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. still, not or hardly moving: Het meer lag er rustig bij.^[7][1]
2. calm, unhurried, not nervous: Hij bleef heel rustig.^[7][1]
3. quiet, without much noise; of colours: soft.^[7][8]
4. Undisturbed: een rustige nacht.^[7][3]

Adverb

1. Calmly, unhurriedly.^[1]
2. Without qualms, safely: Je kunt haar rustig bellen.^[7][8]
3. (Suriname) Fine, as an answer to “how are you?”.^[1]

Word family

• rustigheid
• rustigjes
• onrustig

Related words

• rust
• rusten

Usage notes

From the 16th to the 19th century Dutch also had an adjective rustig “equipped, ready for battle”, then “brave, sturdy”, as in zeer rustighe peerden “fine war horses” (1566).^[3][2] It belongs with rusten “to equip” (now toerusten) and Middle High German rüstec (modern German rüstig); the Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal thinks it arose under German influence, and it is now obsolete.^[3][10]

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 Verwijs, Eelco; Verdam, Jacob (1885–1929), Middelnederlandsch woordenboek, 11 vols., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff; gtb.ivdnt.org
3. ^ a b c d e f g h 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
4. ^ Algemeen Nederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; anw.ivdnt.org
5. ^ Franck, Johannes; Wijk, Nicolaas van (1912), Franck's Etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal, 2nd ed., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff
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 c d e f g Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
8. ^ a b c WikiWoordenboek (Dutch Wiktionary), nl.wiktionary.org
9. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)
10. ^ Veen, P. A. F. van; Sijs, Nicoline van der (1997), Etymologisch woordenboek: de herkomst van onze woorden, 2nd ed., Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Lexicografie