Etymologically
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verder

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Pronunciation

  • /ˈvɛr.dər/[1]

Forms

verder[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle Dutch verder, the comparative of ver “far”, with an inserted /d/ as in eerder.[2][3][4] The Old Dutch comparative adverb was ferriro, recorded as ⟨uerrar⟩ about 1100, and Middle Dutch had comparatives without the /d/, ⟨veerre⟩ and ⟨verre⟩, beside ⟨verder⟩.[5][3] Besides the literal “at a greater distance”, the word has taken senses in which it no longer works as a comparative, such as “furthermore”.[2]

Middle and Early Modern Dutch ⟨vorder⟩ is in part a variant with a darker vowel, and in part goes with voort and vorderen; the forms ⟨varder⟩ and ⟨veerder⟩ were also used until the 17th century.[3][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The adverb is first recorded in 1340–1360, both as “at a greater distance”, in a line about one who will be the further away, and as “for the rest”, of a man who let nothing else be known about himself.[2] Old Dutch uerrar, in the Egmond Williram of about 1100, says that the fame of grace spreads further.[5]

Semantic evolution

In 1531 verder meant “onward”, of a man who pretended he would travel on, and by 1773 it formed verder gevorderden, the more advanced.[2] The adjective, “further, more detailed”, is recorded in 1564 in verdere informatie.[2] The WNT lists verder gaan in many senses, from going on a journey (1531) to going further in one's claims (1841) and making progress (1857), and the saying hoe naerder de doodt, hoe verder van hemel (1606).[3]

Negerhollands took verder in the senses “for the rest” and “then”.[7][1]

Timeline

  • c. 1100 – Old Dutch comparative uerrar “further” in the Egmond Williram.[5]
  • 1340–1360 – Middle Dutch verder “further away” and “for the rest”.[2]
  • 1531 – Verder te ghaen, to travel on.[2][3]
  • 1545 – Verder glosses Latin ultra.[3]
  • 1564 – The adjective, in verdere informatie.[2]
  • 1773 – Verder gevorderden, the more advanced.[2]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. further, farther: at or to a greater distance: het station ligt iets verder.[1][4][3]
  2. Onward, going on with an action: na de pauze werkten we verder.[8]
  3. Then, after that: wat gebeurde er verder?.[8]
  4. furthermore, otherwise, for the rest: verder was het een rustige dag.[8][1]

Adjective

  1. Further, remaining, forming the rest: alle verdere vragen.[8][4]

Word family

  • verderop

Usage notes

Iets verder vertellen is to pass something on to others, and verder studeren to go on to further studies.[8]

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 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 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 c WikiWoordenboek (Dutch Wiktionary), nl.wiktionary.org
  5. ^ a b c Oudnederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; gtb.ivdnt.org
  6. ^ 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
  7. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)
  8. ^ a b c d e Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers