Etymologically
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werk

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Pronunciation

Forms

werk n (plural werken, diminutive werkje n)[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle Dutch werc, inherited from Old Dutch werc, inherited from Proto-West Germanic *werk, inherited from Proto-Germanic *werką (“work, deed”).[2][1][3] The same word is Old Saxon werk, Old High German werc (modern German Werk), Old Frisian werk (modern West Frisian wurk), Old English weorc (modern English work) and Old Norse verk, all meaning “work, labour”.[2][4][3] Middle Dutch also wrote it ⟨warc⟩ and ⟨weerc⟩.[2][5]

The Germanic noun continues Proto-Indo-European *wérǵom (“work”), from the root *werǵ- (“to do, make, work”).[2][1][3] Outside Germanic the root gave Ancient Greek ἔργον (érgon, “work”) (the source of energie and allergie), ἔρδω (érdō, “to do, sacrifice”), Avestan varəza- (“working”), Old Irish fairged (“makes”), Old Breton gwerg (“active”) and Old Armenian գործ (gorc, “work”).[2][4][6] The verb werken was formed from the noun already in Proto-Germanic.[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The word is first recorded in the Old Dutch baptismal vow from Utrecht (late 8th century), whose candidate renounces the devil end allum dioboles uuercum “and all the devil's works”, in the plural sense “deeds”.[2][7][8] In the Egmond Williram of about 1100 guode werk are good works that lead to salvation.[7] Middle Dutch werc appears around 1200 in Limburg, in a line about the deeds of Saint Servatius.[2][9]

Semantic evolution

The oldest records use the word for a deed, especially a good or evil one in the religious sense, which modern Dutch keeps in goede werken and werken van de duisternis.[7][10] In the 13th century it already covered a task, building work, fortifications, siege engines and wrought metal, as well as a product of work such as a woven piece or a book.[9] The Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal sets out the same range from the 16th century on: a deed, the work one does every day, a task, and the thing made.[11] The modern dictionaries add “employment” and “a mechanism”.[11][10]

Proverbs about work are old: een goed begin is het halve werk is first written down in the 17th century by De Brune, after a Greek saying that Horace also echoed.[12] Het is geen aangenomen werk, “there is no hurry”, refers to work contracted to be done by a fixed date.[12][10]

The word went abroad with Dutch speakers: Negerhollands had werk and wark, and Indonesian werek means a man who recruits labourers.[13][1]

Timeline

  • late 8th century – Old Dutch uuercum “works” appears in the Utrecht baptismal vow.[2][7]
  • c. 1100 – Guode werk “good works” in the Egmond Williram.[7]
  • c. 1200 – Middle Dutch werken “deeds” of Saint Servatius, in Limburg.[2][9]
  • 1240 – Werc glosses Latin opus in a Limburg word list.[9]
  • 17th century – 't Beghin is 't halve werck, the proverb about a good start, is recorded by De Brune.[12]

Meanings

Noun

  1. work, labour: the doing of a task.[10][1]
  2. What has to be done, a task or chore.[10][14]
  3. A job, employment as a source of income.[10][1]
  4. The workplace.[1][14]
  5. A product of work or art, a creation, such as a book or painting.[10][1]
  6. A deed, in phrases such as goede werken “good works”.[10]
  7. A mechanism, the moving parts of a device.[10][14]

Word family

  • monnikenwerk
  • werken
  • aardewerk
  • boekwerk
  • breiwerk
  • broddelwerk
  • glaswerk
  • haakwerk
  • huiswerk
  • kantoorwerk
  • knoeiwerk
  • kunstwerk
  • liefdewerk
  • meesterwerk
  • werkloos
  • werknemer
  • werkgever
  • English work
  • German Werk

Usage notes

Another werk, meaning the coarse fibres of flax or hemp left in the hackle (tow, oakum), is recorded in Middle Dutch around 1240.[8][5][11] The Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal gives it an article of its own and leaves open whether it is the same word applied to weaving or belongs to a root meaning “to bind, plait”.[11][4] Kroonen reconstructs it as a separate Proto-Germanic noun meaning “rope”, as in German Werg.[3] Sailors used it to caulk the seams of ships.[15]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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 Vries, Jan de (1971), Nederlands etymologisch woordenboek, Leiden: Brill
  5. ^ a b Verwijs, Eelco; Verdam, Jacob (1885–1929), Middelnederlandsch woordenboek, 11 vols., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff; gtb.ivdnt.org
  6. ^ Franck, Johannes; Wijk, Nicolaas van (1912), Franck's Etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal, 2nd ed., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff
  7. ^ a b c d e 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. ^ a b c d e f g h i Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
  11. ^ 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
  12. ^ a b c Stoett, F. A. (1923–1925), Nederlandsche spreekwoorden, spreekwijzen, uitdrukkingen en gezegden, 4th ed., 3 vols., Zutphen: Thieme
  13. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)
  14. ^ a b c WikiWoordenboek (Dutch Wiktionary), nl.wiktionary.org
  15. ^ Winschoten, Wigardus à (1681), Seeman: behelsende een grondige uitlegging van de Neederlandse konst- en spreekwoorden, voor soo veel die uit de seevaart sijn ontleend, Leiden