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verhaal

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Etymology and origin of the Dutch word verhaal

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1383, Middle Dutch
Ultimate origin
Dutch halen

Pronunciation

  • /vərˈɦaːl/[1]

Forms

verhaal n (plural verhalen, diminutive verhaaltje n)[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle Dutch verhael, from Middle Dutch verhalen (“to fetch back; to repeat, report”).[1][2][3] The EWN distinguishes the verb meaning “to fetch back, get redress” from the one meaning “to tell”, but takes them as originally the same, formed with ver- from halen (“to fetch”).[3] The sense “to tell” grew out of “to report, give one's account”, that is “to fetch back in words”, as was done in court cases;[3][4] De Vries thinks of the old legal practice in which an appointed person summed up a case.[3][4] The noun followed both lines, “compensation” and “repetition, account”.[3]

Middle Dutch had both ⟨verhael⟩ and ⟨verhal⟩.[5] The same noun is Middle Low German vorhāl “story; compensation”, while Old Frisian wrhael means “compensation”.[4][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The earliest record is from 1383, in the legal phrase verhall hebben op iemand, to be able to claim damages from someone.[5] A text from before 1414 uses verhal for the right to repeat a sworn formula in which one had stumbled.[3][5]

Semantic evolution

In 15th-century law verhael was compensation (1436–1443), the resumption of a case on another day, and recovery: a text of 1470 speaks of men who saw no verhael after a defeat.[3][5] From “repetition” came “account”: a dictionary of 1573 has verhael eens boecks “the summary of a book”, and in 1587 someone gives verhael of a person's poverty.[3] By 1650 the word was used for a narrative of events, true or invented, and the Middle Dutch dictionary notes that the sense “free story” is younger.[3][5] Romans of verhalen “novels or stories” is recorded in 1785, and the spoken tale in 1840.[3]

Op zijn verhaal komen “to recover, get one's breath back” is recorded from 1640; it goes back to Middle Dutch hem verhalen “to recover oneself”.[6][7] The word was borrowed into Frisian as ferhaal, and Afrikaans has verhaal.[8][1]

Timeline

  • 1383 – Verhall “claim for damages” is first recorded.[5]
  • before 1414 – Verhal is the right to repeat an oath formula.[3]
  • 1436–1443 – Verhall means compensation.[3]
  • 1573 – Verhael eens boecks “the summary of a book” is recorded.[3]
  • 1640 – Op zijn verhaal komen “to recover” is first recorded.[3][6]
  • 1650 – Verhaal is used for a narrative of events.[3]
  • 1785 – Romans of verhalen “novels or stories” is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. story, an account of real or invented events: Opa vertelde een spannend verhaal over de storm.[9][1][10]
  2. (law) redress, compensation claimed for damage suffered.[9][1]

Word family

  • horrorverhaal
  • kinderverhaal
  • liefdesverhaal
  • spookverhaal
  • succesverhaal
  • verhalenverteller
  • volksverhaal
  • kerstverhaal
  • levensverhaal
  • reisverhaal

Usage notes

Verhaal halen is to demand compensation, and also to go and confront someone by whom one feels wronged;[9] zijn verhaal doen is to tell one's own account.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b 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
  3. ^ 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
  4. ^ a b c Vries, Jan de (1971), Nederlands etymologisch woordenboek, Leiden: Brill
  5. ^ a b c d e f Verwijs, Eelco; Verdam, Jacob (1885–1929), Middelnederlandsch woordenboek, 11 vols., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff; gtb.ivdnt.org
  6. ^ 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
  7. ^ Stoett, F. A. (1923–1925), Nederlandsche spreekwoorden, spreekwijzen, uitdrukkingen en gezegden, 4th ed., 3 vols., Zutphen: Thieme
  8. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)
  9. ^ a b c d Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
  10. ^ WikiWoordenboek (Dutch Wiktionary), nl.wiktionary.org
Cite this entry

“Verhaal.” Etymologically, 21 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/nl/verhaal. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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