snel

Forms

snel (comparative sneller, superlative snelst)^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle Dutch snel, inherited from Old Dutch *snel, inherited from Proto-West Germanic *snell, inherited from Proto-Germanic *snellaz (“quick, bold”).^[2][1][3] The same word is Old Saxon snel, Old High German snel (modern German schnell), Old English snell (dialectal English snell) and Old Norse snjallr (modern Swedish snäll (“kind”)).^[2][4] They all meant “nimble, quick” at first; in North Germanic the meaning moved strongly towards “brave, clever, kind”.^[2][3] The Old Dutch form is reconstructed from Old French isnel (“quick, nimble”), recorded in 1080, which came from Frankish, as did Italian snello.^[5][2][6]

Its further origin is unknown.^[2][3] Franck–Van Wijk, De Vries and others trace the ⟨ll⟩ to an older ⟨dl⟩, and Van Haeringen took the Old Ghent place name ⟨Snethlingehem⟩ beside ⟨Snellingehem⟩ as proof of such a form;^[2][7][8] Heidermanns thinks it unlikely.^[2][7][8] Ritter connected that form with the verb *snīþaną (“to cut”) (snijden); Hammerich preferred an expressive doubling.^[3][8][1] The verb snellen “to hasten” was made from the adjective.^[2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Middle Dutch snel is first recorded in a Limburg word list of 1240, glossing Latin velox and volucer “swift” and impiger “energetic”.^[9][2][10] A Brabant text of 1276 has met snellen lope “at a quick run”.^[9]

Semantic evolution

Middle Dutch used the word for people and animals that were fast or nimble, for heroes as “bold, brisk”, and sometimes for the rash and thoughtless.^[6][9][4] In 1931 the Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal still found it unusual in northern colloquial speech and limited to a few senses in the south; it is now the everyday word for “fast”.^[11][12]

In Flanders snel also means “pretty, handsome”, through the sense “brisk, lively”.^[13][14] De Vries thought this sense old, since Flemish settlers took it in the 12th century to the area of Filehne and Deutsch-Krone, where German schnell means the same.^[8] In the 1960s the word became slang for “trendy, hip”, recorded in 1966, and een snelle jongen is a slick young man.^[15][12] Al is de leugen nog zo snel, de waarheid achterhaalt haar wel, “however fast a lie may be, the truth will overtake it”, is a 17th-century proverb, found in Visscher and Cats.^[16]

Indonesian senél “fast” comes from Dutch, as does Jakarta Malay kereta api senèl “express train”.^[17]

Timeline

• 1080 – Old French isnel, borrowed from Frankish, is recorded.^[2][5]
• 1240 – Middle Dutch snel glosses Latin velox in Limburg.^[9][10]
• 1276 – Met snellen lope “at a quick run”, in Brabant.^[9]
• 1348 – The verb snellen.^[2]
• 1602 – The deer is called the fastest animal in the world.^[11]
• 1966 – Snel “trendy” in the magazine Hitweek.^[15]

Meanings

Adjective

1. fast, quick, taking little time: een snelle auto.^[12][1]
2. (colloquial) trendy, smart, flashy;^[12][15] een snelle jongen is a slick operator.^[12][15]
3. (Flanders) Pretty, handsome.^[13]

Adverb

1. Quickly: Ze liep snel naar de bushalte.^[11][12]

Word family

• snelheid
• snellen
• versnellen
• bliksemsnel
• pijlsnel
• snelschrijver
• snelvoetig
• sneltrein
• snelverkeer
• snelbinder
• snelkookpan

Related words

• German schnell

Usage notes

A noun snel or snelle “drinking jug, beaker”, recorded from 1627 and still used in the south, is probably the adjective used as a noun;^[11][18][19] Kiliaan explained it as a cup that is quickly emptied.^[11][18][19]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k 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 d Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b c Franck, Johannes; Wijk, Nicolaas van (1912), Franck's Etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal, 2nd ed., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff
5. ^ a b Oudnederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; gtb.ivdnt.org
6. ^ a b Verwijs, Eelco; Verdam, Jacob (1885–1929), Middelnederlandsch woordenboek, 11 vols., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff; gtb.ivdnt.org
7. ^ a b Haeringen, C. B. van (1936), Etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal: Supplement, 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff
8. ^ a b c d Vries, Jan de (1971), Nederlands etymologisch woordenboek, Leiden: Brill
9. ^ 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
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 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
12. ^ a b c d e f Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
13. ^ a b Debrabandere, Frans (2002), West-Vlaams etymologisch woordenboek: de herkomst van de West-Vlaamse woorden, Amsterdam / Antwerpen: Atlas
14. ^ Debrabandere, Frans (2005), Oost-Vlaams en Zeeuws-Vlaams etymologisch woordenboek, Amsterdam / Antwerpen: Atlas
15. ^ a b c d Reinsma, R. (1975), Signalement van nieuwe woorden, Amsterdam: Elsevier
16. ^ Stoett, F. A. (1923–1925), Nederlandsche spreekwoorden, spreekwijzen, uitdrukkingen en gezegden, 4th ed., 3 vols., Zutphen: Thieme
17. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)
18. ^ a b Debrabandere, Frans (2010), Brabants etymologisch woordenboek: de herkomst van de woordenschat van Antwerpen, Brussel, Noord-Brabant en Vlaams-Brabant, Zwolle: Wbooks
19. ^ a b Debrabandere, Frans (2011), Limburgs etymologisch woordenboek: de herkomst van de woorden uit beide Limburgen, Zwolle: Wbooks