sprenkelen

Forms

sprenkelen (sprenkelde, gesprenkeld), a weak verb^[1] Kiliaan has sprenckelen and sprenghelen, and sprinkelen is a regional form, used for example in Ghent.^[2][3][4]

Etymology

The Etymologisch woordenboek van het Nederlands takes it as probably a back-formation from Dutch besprenkelen: since the simple verb is recorded so late, it was most likely cut from the much older and nearly synonymous verb, whose prefix marks it clearly as transitive.^[2] That verb is first found as besprinken (1240) and besprinkelen, and it goes back, with a frequentative suffix and ⟨ng⟩ sharpened to ⟨nk⟩ before /l/, to the causative sprengen (“to sprinkle, make spring up”) of springen.^[2][5] The noun sprenkel “speck, spatter” may have helped, and may itself be a back-formation from the prefixed verb; its diminutive sprenkelkijn or sprinkelken is recorded in 1477.^[2]

The causative is shared with Old High German sprengen, Old Frisian sprenza, Old English sprengan and Old Norse sprengja, all meaning “to sprinkle, make spring up”, from Proto-Germanic *sprangijaną.^[2] Other dictionaries derive ⟨sprenkelen⟩ more directly: De Vries calls it an iterative of ⟨sprengen⟩ with ⟨g⟩ sharpened before /l/, beside Kiliaan's sprenghelen, and compares Middle Low German sprengel (“holy-water sprinkler”) and Middle High German sprengel.^[6] The Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal derives it from the noun ⟨sprenkel⟩, beside a frequentative sprengelen.^[3] Vercoullie took it from sprank and sprankel “spark”, and Debrabandere, who notes that it is usually seen as a nasalised form beside the word for spark, prefers a frequentative of ⟨springen⟩ or sprengen.^[7][4]

The Etymologisch woordenboek compares Middle English sprynklen (modern English sprinkle).^[2] Etymonline calls the English verb a frequentative of sprenge, cognate with or influenced by the Dutch word, and cites the Century Dictionary's view that it was probably taken from or suggested by Middle Dutch or Middle Low German.^[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

The verb is first recorded in Kiliaan's dictionary of 1599, as sprenckelen and sprenghelen, “to sprinkle (something) with drops, to scatter in drops”.^[2] In 1611 a poet writes De soete soute Min sprengelt mijn sin'lijckheyt, “sweet salt Love sprinkles my senses”.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

Used transitively, the verb means both to scatter drops or grains (1820, of Nature scattering scents) and to sprinkle a surface with them (1611).^[3] Used intransitively it means to scatter drops, as a pen that spatters (1868), or to spatter or fly out, as sparks do (1666).^[3] Around Breda het sprenkelt means that it is raining a few scattered drops.^[3]

The word spread with Dutch: Van der Sijs lists English sprinkle, Negerhollands springel and sprengel “to spatter”, and Papiamentu sprengu “to sprinkle, to drizzle” among its borrowings.^[9]

Timeline

• 1599 – Kiliaan records sprenckelen and sprenghelen.^[2]
• 1611 – Sprengelt “sprinkles” is used figuratively of love.^[2][3]
• 1642 – My met water sprengckelende “sprinkling me with water”.^[2]
• 1666 – Sparks of heaven's vengeance sprengkelen “fly” from a face and eyes.^[3]
• 1820 – Welig sprenkelt zij de geuren “richly she scatters the scents”.^[2][3]
• 1868 – Intransitive sprinkelen, of a pen that spatters.^[3]

Meanings

Verb

1. To sprinkle or scatter a liquid in drops.^[10][1]
2. To wet a surface with drops, to spatter it.^[10]
3. To strew small things or a powder over a surface.^[1]

Word family

• gesprenkel
• sprenkeling

Related words

• besprenkelen
• sprenkel
• springen
• English sprinkle

Usage notes

The Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal has a separate sprenkelen “to catch in a snare”, formed from sprenkel “snare”.^[3]

References

1. ^ a b c Algemeen Nederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; anw.ivdnt.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l 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 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
4. ^ a b Debrabandere, Frans (2005), Oost-Vlaams en Zeeuws-Vlaams etymologisch woordenboek, Amsterdam / Antwerpen: Atlas
5. ^ 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. ^ Vries, Jan de (1971), Nederlands etymologisch woordenboek, Leiden: Brill
7. ^ Vercoullie, Jozef (1925), Beknopt etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal, 3rd ed., 's-Gravenhage / Gent: Nijhoff / Van Rysselberghe & Rombaut
8. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
9. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)
10. ^ a b Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers