wervel

Forms

wervel m (plural wervels, diminutive werveltje n)^[1] The Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal records the dialect forms wa(a)rvel, wi(e)rvel, worvel, wurvel and wurfel, and, mostly in the east, forms with metathesis such as welver, wilver, wulver and wulfer.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle Dutch wervel, inherited from Old Dutch *wirvil, inherited from Proto-West Germanic *hwirbil,^[4] inherited from Proto-Germanic *hwirbila-.^[5][1][6] It is formed from the verb werven in its original sense “to turn”, with the suffix -el of names of objects and tools, so that it first meant “something that turns”.^[5][7][8][2] Wiktionary analyses the Germanic noun as *hwerbaną with *-ilaz.^[1]

The same word is Middle Low German wervel “eddy, whirlwind”, Old High German wirbil “whirlwind, rattle, spinning top” (modern German Wirbel), Old Frisian hwarel “turning” and Old Norse hvirfill “circle, ring, crown of the head” (Swedish virvel).^[5][7][9] English whirl is probably borrowed from Old Norse.^[5][7][10]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record, from about 1350, uses Middle Dutch wervel for the crown of the head: a man struck met enen swerde ... boven in den wervele “with a sword on the top of the skull”.^[5][11] In Middle Dutch the word also named a door bolt, a hinge, a crank and a whirlpool, all things that turn.^[5][11][6]

Semantic evolution

Middle Dutch used wervel for many turning objects: hinges (1361), bolts and turn-buttons for doors and windows (1390), and a crank that set a wooden horse in motion (1451).^[11] The vertebra is first named in 1568, in an anatomy text that calls the 34 bones of the back pater-noster beenen oft weruels “paternoster bones or vertebrae”, likening them to the beads of a rosary.^[5][2][12]

The fastener gave idioms for being in control: ergens den wervel draaien (1615) and alles naar zijn wervel draaien (1647) mean to have things one's own way.^[2] In dialects the word still names a turn-button on a door or a part of a mill, and in Limburg also a restless child.^[13][3] Dutch lent the anatomical sense to Papiamentu as wèrvel.^[14]

Timeline

• c. 1350 – Middle Dutch wervel is first recorded, for the crown of the head.^[5]
• 1361 – Wervele is used for hinges.^[11]
• 1390 – Warvelen “bolts” on a drawbridge are recorded.^[11]
• 1451 – Wervel is used of a crank.^[11]
• 1552 – Grendel oft weruel “bolt or turn-button” is recorded.^[2]
• 1568 – The sense “vertebra” is first recorded.^[5][12]
• 1615 – Den wervel draaien “to call the tune” is recorded.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. A vertebra, one of the bones of the spine of humans and vertebrate animals.^[15][1][16]
2. A turn-button, a small turning piece of wood used as a simple fastener for doors and windows.^[15][2]
3. A tuning peg that holds the strings of a stringed instrument.^[15]
4. A swirling movement in a gas or liquid, a whirl.^[16][11]

Word family

• wervelen
• wervelwind
• gewerveld
• halswervel
• lendenwervel
• nekwervel
• rugwervel
• staartwervel
• werveldier
• wervelgewricht
• wervelkanaal
• wervelkolom
• wervelstorm
• wervelstroom
• werveling

Related words

• werven
• German Wirbel
• English whirl

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g 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 Debrabandere, Frans (2011), Limburgs etymologisch woordenboek: de herkomst van de woorden uit beide Limburgen, Zwolle: Wbooks
4. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *hwirbil
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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
6. ^ a b Vries, Jan de; Tollenaere, Félicien de (2004), Etymologisch woordenboek: onze woorden, hun oorsprong en ontwikkeling, 23rd ed., Utrecht: Het Spectrum, p. 437
7. ^ a b c Vries, Jan de (1971), Nederlands etymologisch woordenboek, Leiden: Brill
8. ^ Veen, P. A. F. van; Sijs, Nicoline van der (1997), Etymologisch woordenboek: de herkomst van onze woorden, 2nd ed., Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Lexicografie
9. ^ Franck, Johannes; Wijk, Nicolaas van (1912), Franck's Etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal, 2nd ed., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff
10. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
11. ^ a b c d e f g Verwijs, Eelco; Verdam, Jacob (1885–1929), Middelnederlandsch woordenboek, 11 vols., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff; gtb.ivdnt.org
12. ^ a b Sijs, Nicoline van der (2001), Chronologisch woordenboek: de ouderdom en herkomst van onze woorden en betekenissen, Amsterdam / Antwerpen: Veen
13. ^ Debrabandere, Frans (2010), Brabants etymologisch woordenboek: de herkomst van de woordenschat van Antwerpen, Brussel, Noord-Brabant en Vlaams-Brabant, Zwolle: Wbooks
14. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)
15. ^ a b c Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
16. ^ a b WikiWoordenboek (Dutch Wiktionary), nl.wiktionary.org