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waar

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waar1 ware, goods

Pronunciation

Forms

waar f (plural waren, no diminutive)[1]

Etymology

The word for goods is inherited from Middle Dutch ware, inherited from Proto-Germanic *warō.[2][1] The same word is Middle Low German ware (whence Middle High German ⟨ware⟩ and modern German Ware), Old Frisian ware (modern West Frisian waar), Old English waru (modern English ware) and Old Norse vara, all meaning merchandise.[2][3]

Its origin is uncertain.[2] It is usually taken to be the same word as Proto-Germanic ⟨*warō-⟩ “attention, care, protection” (see waarnemen), with a transition through “things one takes care of”; this is the view of Franck and Van Wijk, Vercoullie and others.[2][4] Pfeifer and Kluge instead derive it, with a different ablaut grade, from Proto-Indo-European *wes- (“to sell”), which with a suffix ⟨*-no-⟩ gave Latin vēnus (“sale”) and is also behind venten.[2] De Vries, following Trier, linked it with a root “to fence in”, through the enclosed meeting place of the community; the WNT finds that development doubtful.[3][4] De Vries rejected Wadstein's derivation from a word for wool or sheep.[3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The noun is first recorded in 1285, in the Rijmbijbel: Ende saghen copmanne comen ghevaren, met kemelen ende met diere waren “and saw merchants come riding with camels and costly wares”.[2][5][6]

Semantic evolution

In the 14th century the word could also mean valuable property in general: a chronicle of 1328–1350 tells how a village was burnt and robbed van menighen goede ende ware.[2] The WNT records it from 1503 for costly goods and then mainly for goods meant for trade.[4] The proverb alle waar is naar zijn geld says that cheap goods cannot be as sound as dear ones.[7]

Warenhuis “department store”, a loan translation of German Warenhaus, is recorded in 1904 for the store of Cohn-Donnay in Rotterdam.[2] From 1911 Dutch market gardeners also used it for their large glasshouses.[2] Van der Sijs counts Danish vare and Swedish vara among words that may come from Dutch or Low German.[8]

Timeline

  • 1285 – Ware “merchandise” is recorded in the Rijmbijbel.[2][6][5]
  • 1328–1350 – A rhymed chronicle uses ware for valuable property.[2]
  • 1503 – Costly cloth on an altar is described as costelijker ware.[4]
  • 1904 – Warenhuis names a department store in Rotterdam.[2]
  • 1911 – Warenhuis is used for a large glasshouse.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Goods for sale, merchandise: De visboer prees luid zijn waar aan.[7][1][9]

Word family

  • koopwaar
  • handelswaar
  • eetwaar
  • smokkelwaar
  • warenhuis

waar2 true

Pronunciation

Forms

waar (not comparable)[1]

Etymology

The adjective meaning “true” is inherited from Middle Dutch waer, inherited from Old Dutch wār, inherited from Proto-Germanic *wēra-.[2][1] The same word is Old Saxon wār, Old High German wār (modern German wahr), Old Frisian wēr (modern West Frisian wier) and Old English wǣr.[2][3]

It is related to Latin vērus (“true”), the source of French vrai and of Dutch fraai, and to Old Irish fír and Welsh gwir, both “true”; all go back to Proto-Indo-European *weh₁ros.[2][3] Its further origin is uncertain: the EWN considers a link with Proto-Germanic ⟨*wara-⟩ “attentive”, as in waarnemen.[2] De Vries placed it under a root meaning “friendliness”, and Trier tied that root to one meaning “to fence in”, a development the WNT finds questionable.[3][4] Franck and Van Wijk mention a derivation from ⟨*wes-ro-⟩ “being, existing” but think it very uncertain.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The adjective first appears in its derivative wārheit in the 10th-century Wachtendonck Psalms.[2] As a separate word it is found in the Rhineland Rhyming Bible of 1151–1200, in want er in waren mennischen gesach “for he saw in him a sincere man”.[2] Middle Dutch has dat mote war sin amen “may this be true, amen” in 1236.[2][5]

Semantic evolution

Early on the word meant both “sincere, trustworthy” and “in accordance with the facts”.[2] Middle Dutch also used it as a noun, waer “truth”, glossing Latin verum in 1240, and in over waer houden “to take for true”.[5] The WNT records the modern senses from the 16th century, with religious uses such as de ware leer “the true doctrine”, and with a philosophical sense, “valid”, from 1799.[4] Besides “true” it means “real, genuine”.[7]

Negerhollands has waar and Berbice Dutch waru “true”, and South African English has ware “genuine”.[8][1]

Timeline

  • 901–1000 – The derivative wārheit “truth” appears in the Wachtendonck Psalms.[2]
  • 1151–1200 – The adjective is recorded in the Rhineland Rhyming Bible.[2]
  • 1236 – Middle Dutch war is recorded.[2][5]
  • 1240 – War glosses Latin verus in Limburg.[5][6]
  • 1516 – Tschijnt somtijts gheloghen dat nochtans waer es “something sometimes seems a lie that is true all the same”.[4]
  • 1595 – Die ware Euangelissche leere “the true doctrine of the Gospel” is recorded.[4]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. true, in accordance with the facts: Wat hij over zijn reis vertelde, was niet waar.[7][1][9]
  2. Real, genuine: Zij bleek een ware vriendin.[7][1]

Word family

waar3 where

Pronunciation

Forms

waar[1]

Etymology

The adverb meaning “where” is inherited from Middle Dutch waer, inherited from Old Dutch wār, inherited from Proto-West Germanic *hwār, inherited from Proto-Germanic *hwar.[2][1][10] The same word is Old Saxon hwār, Old High German hwār (modern German wo), Old Frisian hwēr (modern West Frisian wêr) and Old English hwǣr (modern English where), and with a short vowel Old Norse hvar and Gothic 𐍈𐌰𐍂 (ƕar).[2][10][3]

The EWN traces the West Germanic long vowel to ⟨*hwēr⟩ beside ⟨*hwar⟩;[2][10] Kroonen holds that it arose instead by lengthening in a word of one syllable.[2][10] The word was formed with a locative ⟨-r⟩ on the interrogative stem Proto-Indo-European *kʷo-, like hier and daar on other stems; see hoe.[2][10] Other formations with ⟨-r⟩ are Latin cūr (“why”) (Old Latin ⟨quōr⟩), Sanskrit कर्हि (kárhi, “when”), Lithuanian kur (“where”) and Albanian kur (“when”).[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The adverb is first recorded around 1100 in the Willeram, in Sage mir, … war thu rowes umbe middendach “tell me where you rest at midday”.[2] Middle Dutch waer appears in Ghent in 1237.[2][5][6]

Semantic evolution

Middle Dutch used waer for “where”, and also for “where to” from 1240.[2] In rhetorical questions it lamented what was lost, as in 1265–1270 wars mi mine cracht van wilen eer “where is my former strength?” and in waar is de tijd “gone are the days”.[2][4] Combined with prepositions it forms the many pronominal adverbs such as waarom, waarmee and waarvan, in which it stands for wat.[4][1] As a conjunction it means “whereas”.[7]

Afrikaans has waar, Negerhollands waar and wa, and Skepi Dutch war.[1][8]

Timeline

  • c. 1100 – War “where” is recorded in the Willeram.[2]
  • 1237 – Middle Dutch waer appears in Ghent.[2][5][6]
  • 1240 – Waer is used for “where to”.[2]
  • 1526 – Waer is v broeder Habel? “Where is Abel your brother?” in a Bible translation.[4]
  • 1548 – Waer es den tijd laments days gone by.[4]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. In what place, where: Waar heb je je fiets gezet?[7][1]
  2. Introducing a relative clause of place: Dit is het dorp waar mijn moeder opgroeide.[7][1]
  3. In pronominal adverbs, standing for wat: Waar denk je aan?[1]
  4. (informal) Standing for wie in relative clauses: de vrouw waar ik mee werk.[1]

Conjunction

  1. whereas, while: Waar zij graag reist, blijft hij liever thuis.[7]

Word family

  • waarom
  • waarheen
  • waardoor
  • waarin
  • waarvan
  • waarop

Usage notes

In Surinamese Dutch waar van asks for a place within something, such as a spot in a street.[11]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s 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 q r s t u v w x y z 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 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 h Vries, Jan de (1971), Nederlands etymologisch woordenboek, Leiden: Brill
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n 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
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h 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
  6. ^ a b c d e Sijs, Nicoline van der (2001), Chronologisch woordenboek: de ouderdom en herkomst van onze woorden en betekenissen, Amsterdam / Antwerpen: Veen
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
  8. ^ a b c Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)
  9. ^ a b Algemeen Nederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; anw.ivdnt.org
  10. ^ a b c d e Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill
  11. ^ Donselaar, J. van (1989), Woordenboek van het Surinaams-Nederlands, Muiderberg: Coutinho