veranderen

Forms

veranderen^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle Dutch veranderen, formed with the prefix ver- from the adjective ander “other”, literally “to make other”.^[2][3][1] The same formation is Middle Low German veranderen and Middle High German verandern (modern German verändern).^[4][5]

Because the verb appears relatively late in Dutch, Middle Low German and Middle High German, the Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal suggests that it may have been made as a loan translation of Latin alterō (“to change”).^[5] In 1617 the verb was in fact put forward as a native replacement for the loanword ⟨altereeren⟩.^[5] Beside it there was a dialect form ⟨veraaren⟩, built on ⟨aar⟩ “other”, used by Bredero in 1622.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record is from Oudenaarde in East Flanders in 1291, where the infinitive used as a noun, telken veranderne, means “at each transfer of the property”: the oldest sense is legal, “to bring into other hands”.^[2][3] The sense “to alter, change” follows in a Mechelen text of 1301, on ordinances that verandert sijn, “have been changed”.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

Middle Dutch used the verb transitively for altering something, for exchanging one thing for another, as in changing the medicine on a wound, and reflexively.^[4] The intransitive sense “to become different” is recorded in 1573, in the Thesaurus of Plantin.^[2] A Bible translation of 1526 has Jacob complain that Laban changed his wages ten times.^[5]

Dat verandert de zaak, “that puts a different light on it”, is recorded by Van Dale in 1898.^[5] In Belgium the conductors' cry veranderen! for changing trains was criticised by De Vreese in 1899 as a gallicism after French changer.^[6]

Dutch passed the verb on to Danish forandre and Norwegian forandre (from Dutch or Low German), to Ambonese and Manado Malay ferander, Javanese plander, Negerhollands verander and Sranan Tongo frander.^[7][1] Afrikaans has verander.^[1]

Timeline

• 1291 – Veranderne “transfer of property” in Oudenaarde.^[2][3]
• 1301 – Verandert “altered”, of ordinances, in Mechelen.^[2][3]
• 1526 – Laban changes Jacob's wages ten times.^[5]
• 1573 – The intransitive sense “to become different”.^[2]
• 1617 – Veranderen is proposed as a native word for altereeren.^[5]

Meanings

Verb

1. (transitive) To change, make different, alter: ze veranderde de titel van haar boek.^[8][1][9]
2. (intransitive) To change, become different: de stad is sterk veranderd.^[8][1]

Word family

• veranderaar
• veranderbaar
• verandering
• veranderlijk

Related words

• ander
• wijzigen

Usage notes

Dat verandert de zaak means “that changes things”.^[5]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g 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 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
4. ^ a b Verwijs, Eelco; Verdam, Jacob (1885–1929), Middelnederlandsch woordenboek, 11 vols., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff; gtb.ivdnt.org
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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
6. ^ Vreese, Willem de (1899), Gallicismen in het Zuidnederlandsch, Gent: Siffer
7. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)
8. ^ a b Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
9. ^ WikiWoordenboek (Dutch Wiktionary), nl.wiktionary.org