vergeten

Forms

vergeten^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle Dutch vergeten, inherited from Old Dutch fargetan, inherited from Proto-West Germanic *fragetan.^[2][1] It is formed with the prefix ver- from a verb Proto-Germanic *getaną (“to get”) that is not attested on its own in Dutch, so that it first meant “to lose (from memory)”.^[2][3][4] The same verb is Old Saxon fargetan, Old High German firgezzan (modern German vergessen), Old Frisian urjeta (modern West Frisian ferjitte) and Old English forgietan (modern English forget).^[2][5] Without the prefix only Old Norse geta (“to obtain”) has it, the source of get; with another prefix there is Gothic 𐌱𐌹𐌲𐌹𐍄𐌰𐌽 (bigitan, “to find, get”).^[2][3]

The root is Proto-Indo-European *gʰed- (“to seize”).^[2][5] Its nasal present gave beginnen, Latin prehendō (“to grasp”), Ancient Greek χανδάνω (khandánō, “to hold, contain”) and Albanian gjen (“to find”).^[2][6] gissen belongs to the same family.^[2][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Old Dutch fargetan first appears in the Wachtendonck Psalms of the 10th century, in ne reslag thu sia, that noh uuanne ne fargetin folk min “do not slay them, lest my people ever forget”.^[2][7][8] Middle Dutch vergeten is recorded in Limburg around 1200, and a text from the Lower Rhine of 1253 says that eggs are healthy and that one must not forget the mustard.^[9]

Semantic evolution

The participle vergeten was used as an adjective meaning “forgetful” and “unconscious” in a Limburg word list of 1240, which glosses Latin obliviosus and letargus with it.^[9][10] In early modern Dutch the verb came to mean “to leave behind” (a sheaf in the field, 1526), “to fail to do” one's duty (1607) and “to pass over” someone in a will (1630); zich vergeten, to lose control of oneself, is recorded in 1610.^[2][11]

Vergeet-mij-niet is a loan translation of German Vergissmeinnicht of the 15th century, itself perhaps a translation of Old French; in 1546 it named the speedwell, and later the forget-me-not Myosotis.^[2][11] Iets maar vergeten, to put a thing out of one's head, was taken from English to forget about in the 1960s.^[12]

The verb went into Negerhollands, Berbice Dutch (frugete), Sranan Tongo (frigiti) and other creoles, and Swedish förgäta came from Dutch or Low German.^[13][1]

Timeline

• 901–1000 – Old Dutch fargetin “should forget” in the Wachtendonck Psalms.^[2][8]
• c. 1200 – Middle Dutch vergeten is first recorded, in Limburg.^[9][4]
• 1240 – Vergeten glosses Latin oblivisci.^[9]
• 1526 – Vergeten “to leave behind” a sheaf in the field.^[2][11]
• 1546 – Vergeet mi niet names the speedwell.^[2][11]
• 1610 – Reflexive zich vergeten “to lose control of oneself”.^[2][11]
• 1839 – Vergeet-mij-nietjes are forget-me-nots.^[2][11]

Meanings

Verb

1. To forget, to lose from memory.^[14][1]
2. To fail to do or to mention: ik ben vergeten de deur op slot te doen.^[14][1]
3. To stop thinking of, to put out of one's mind: vergeet het maar!, forget it!^[14]
4. To leave behind, to forget to take: hij vergat zijn paraplu.^[14][1]
5. (reflexive) zich vergeten, to lose control of oneself.^[2][11]

Word family

• onvergetelijk
• vergeetachtig
• vergetel
• vergetelijk
• vergetelboek
• godvergeten
• vergeethoek
• vergeet-mij-niet
• vergeetput

Related words

• gissen
• beginnen
• English forget
• German vergessen

Usage notes

The perfect is formed with zijn or hebben: ik ben or ik heb het vergeten; the use of zijn spread from the 19th century without a difference in meaning.^[11] Vergeten en vergeven seals a reconciliation.^[14]

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 h i j k l m n o p 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 Veen, P. A. F. van; Sijs, Nicoline van der (1997), Etymologisch woordenboek: de herkomst van onze woorden, 2nd ed., Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Lexicografie
4. ^ a b Vries, Jan de; Tollenaere, Félicien de (2004), Etymologisch woordenboek: onze woorden, hun oorsprong en ontwikkeling, 23rd ed., Utrecht: Het Spectrum, p. 403
5. ^ a b c Vries, Jan de (1971), Nederlands etymologisch woordenboek, Leiden: Brill
6. ^ Franck, Johannes; Wijk, Nicolaas van (1912), Franck's Etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal, 2nd ed., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff
7. ^ Oudnederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; gtb.ivdnt.org
8. ^ a b Sijs, Nicoline van der (2001), Chronologisch woordenboek: de ouderdom en herkomst van onze woorden en betekenissen, Amsterdam / Antwerpen: Veen
9. ^ a b c d 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. ^ Verwijs, Eelco; Verdam, Jacob (1885–1929), Middelnederlandsch woordenboek, 11 vols., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff; gtb.ivdnt.org
11. ^ 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
12. ^ Reinsma, R. (1975), Signalement van nieuwe woorden, Amsterdam: Elsevier
13. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)
14. ^ a b c d e Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers