zoals

Forms

zoals^[1]

Etymology

It is from Dutch zo + als, written as one word since Middle Dutch (soals, also ⟨sooals⟩).^[1][2][3][4] The Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal treats the written-together and separate spellings as one word because the joined form is found so early.^[2] Wiktionary compares alzo and the history of als itself.^[1] The Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek compares German wie, which is used with or without so in the same way.^[3] A spoken variant is ⟨zooas⟩.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Van der Sijs dates the first record to 1482.^[5] A Dutch ordinance of 1500 on dyers who use three, four or five vats has it in the sense “in accordance with the custom”.^[2] A northeastern text of 1534 says of the sacrament that it was a woman's last food, sooals sie hem altoos plach te bidden, “as she had always prayed to him”.^[3]

Semantic evolution

Kiliaan glosses so als with Latin sicut, velut and tanquam, “just as, as if”.^[3] The word introduces clauses of comparison, “in the same way as”; since the 18th century it has also introduced shortened phrases without a verb, as in zo als de Kwakers (1784).^[2] With past or hoort it expresses a norm, “as is fitting” (1784).^[2] The modern dictionaries add the sense “such as, for example”, introducing a list.^[6][1][7]

Afrikaans has soos, and Negerhollands had soo as.^[1][8]

Timeline

• 1482 – Zoals is first recorded.^[5]
• 1500 – An ordinance on dyers uses it of a custom.^[2]
• 1534 – Sooals appears in a text from the northeastern Netherlands.^[3]
• 1784 – Zo als introduces a phrase without a verb, and zo als dat paste expresses what is fitting.^[2]

Meanings

Conjunction

1. as, in the way that, just as.^[6][1][2] Doe het zoals ik het je heb voorgedaan. Zoals gebruikelijk means as usual.^[6]
2. such as, for example: Ze kweekt kruiden zoals tijm en salie.^[6][1][7]

Related words

• zo
• als

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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 Verwijs, Eelco; Verdam, Jacob (1885–1929), Middelnederlandsch woordenboek, 11 vols., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff; gtb.ivdnt.org
4. ^ Algemeen Nederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; anw.ivdnt.org
5. ^ a b Sijs, Nicoline van der (2001), Chronologisch woordenboek: de ouderdom en herkomst van onze woorden en betekenissen, Amsterdam / Antwerpen: Veen
6. ^ a b c d Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
7. ^ a b WikiWoordenboek (Dutch Wiktionary), nl.wiktionary.org
8. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)