Etymologically
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vrij

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Pronunciation

Forms

vrij (comparative vrijer, superlative vrijst)[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle Dutch vrî, inherited from Old Dutch frī, inherited from Proto-West Germanic *frī, inherited from Proto-Germanic *frija- (“free”).[2][1][3] The same word is Old Saxon frī, Old High German frī (modern German frei), Old Frisian frī, Old English frēo (modern English free) and Gothic 𐍆𐍂𐌴𐌹𐍃 (freis);[2][4][3] Swedish fri was borrowed from Middle Low German.[2][4][3] An old compound with “neck” is found across the family: Gothic 𐍆𐍂𐌴𐌹𐌷𐌰𐌻𐍃 (freihals, “freedom”), Old Norse frjáls (“free”), Old High German frīhals (“a free man”).[4][5][3]

The word continues Proto-Indo-European *priHós (“dear, beloved”), from the root *preyH- (“to love”), the source of Sanskrit प्रिय (priyá, “dear, beloved”) and of the Sanskrit verb for “to love”.[2][1] In Celtic the same adjective also came to mean “free”: Welsh rhydd and Old Breton rid.[2][4] The Germanic sense “free” grew out of “dear, one's own”: the free were the members of one's own kin, as opposed to the unfree.[6][3][7] The older meaning shows in vriend, vrijen, vrede and the goddess name behind vrijdag.[2][8][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Old Dutch frī “free, unbound” occurs in compounds and names from the 8th century, perhaps already in the Malberg glosses of the Lex Salica, where maltho thi afrio means “I tell you: I set you free”.[2][9] As a word on its own it glosses Latin liber in 801.[10] In Middle Dutch vri is first found in Ghent in 1237: ende dus sal hi wesen uri, “and so he shall be free”.[2][11]

Semantic evolution

In Middle Dutch vri named a social rank: free-born, as opposed to serfs and bondsmen, and so it came close to “noble”, used also as an honorific of Christ and of high-born women.[12][11] From “free” it widened to “unhindered”, “exempt from dues or tolls” and “without obligations”, and Middle Dutch also used it as an adverb meaning “truly, certainly”.[11][12][13] The noun dat Vrije was the name of the district around Bruges, the Franc de Bruges.[12]

In early modern Dutch the colonial sense “not a slave” and “not in the Company's service” appears (1620), as in vrije luyden.[8] Vrij also took the meanings “at leisure, not working” and “free of charge”, and as an adverb it came to mean “rather, fairly”.[14][15] The pairing vrij en vrank (now frank en vrij) goes back to the 16th century.[16] In Amsterdam Jewish speech vrij meant “not religious, not observant”.[17][18]

Dutch vrij was borrowed widely in the East Indies: perai and Javanese prèi mean “free, on holiday”.[19][1] Afrikaans has vry.[1]

Timeline

  • 8th century – Frī in the Malberg glosses of the Lex Salica.[2][9]
  • 801 – Old Dutch fri glosses Latin liber.[10]
  • 1237 – Middle Dutch vri “free” in Ghent.[2][11]
  • 1336 – Den Vriën, the district of Bruges, is named.[12]
  • 1620 – Vrye luyden, colonists not in the Company's service.[8]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. free: not imprisoned, enslaved or occupied, able to do as one likes.[14][1]
  2. Not restricted, bound or hindered: De weg is weer vrij.[14][1]
  3. Available, not taken: Is deze stoel vrij?[14][15]
  4. Not working or at school, off duty: Morgen ben ik vrij.[14][1]
  5. Free of charge.[14][15]
  6. Not under a particular authority or regulation: vrije handel.[14]
  7. Frank, bold: mag ik zo vrij zijn, may I take the liberty.[14]
  8. (Belgium, of education) Not run by the state, private (mostly Catholic).[14]
  9. (as a suffix) Without, free from: alcoholvrij, roestvrij.[15][8]

Adverb

  1. rather, fairly: Het was vrij koud.[15][1]
  2. Freely, without hindrance.[15][11]

Word family

  • vrijheid
  • vrijen
  • vrijelijk
  • vrijmaken
  • vrijhouden
  • vrijwaren
  • vrijhaven
  • vrijhandel
  • vrijstaat
  • vrijmetselaar
  • vrijmoedig
  • vrijpostig
  • vrijblijvend
  • gastvrij
  • vogelvrij
  • bevrijden

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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 Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill
  4. ^ a b c d Vries, Jan de (1971), Nederlands etymologisch woordenboek, Leiden: Brill
  5. ^ Franck, Johannes; Wijk, Nicolaas van (1912), Franck's Etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal, 2nd ed., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff
  6. ^ Vries, Jan de; Tollenaere, Félicien de (2004), Etymologisch woordenboek: onze woorden, hun oorsprong en ontwikkeling, 23rd ed., Utrecht: Het Spectrum, p. 421
  7. ^ Veen, P. A. F. van; Sijs, Nicoline van der (1997), Etymologisch woordenboek: de herkomst van onze woorden, 2nd ed., Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Lexicografie
  8. ^ a b c d 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
  9. ^ a b Sijs, Nicoline van der (2001), Chronologisch woordenboek: de ouderdom en herkomst van onze woorden en betekenissen, Amsterdam / Antwerpen: Veen
  10. ^ a b Oudnederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; gtb.ivdnt.org
  11. ^ 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
  12. ^ a b c d Verwijs, Eelco; Verdam, Jacob (1885–1929), Middelnederlandsch woordenboek, 11 vols., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff; gtb.ivdnt.org
  13. ^ Sterkenburg, P. G. J. van (2001), Vloeken: een cultuurbepaalde reactie op woede, irritatie en frustratie, 2nd ed., Den Haag: Sdu
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
  15. ^ a b c d e f WikiWoordenboek (Dutch Wiktionary), nl.wiktionary.org
  16. ^ Stoett, F. A. (1923–1925), Nederlandsche spreekwoorden, spreekwijzen, uitdrukkingen en gezegden, 4th ed., 3 vols., Zutphen: Thieme
  17. ^ Beem, H. (1974), Uit Mokum en de mediene: Joodse woorden in Nederlandse omgeving, Assen: Van Gorcum
  18. ^ Kamp, Jacob van de; Wijk, Jacob van der (2006), Koosjer Nederlands: Joodse woorden in de Nederlandse taal, Amsterdam: Contact
  19. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)