wij Dutch · revision 37059

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=901–1000, Wachtendonck Psalms|origins=ine-pro *wéy}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Stressed: /ʋɛi̯/^(Wiktionary)

+ * Unstressed: /ʋə/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''wij'''^(Wiktionary)

+ The unstressed form is ''we'', recorded in Middle Dutch from about 1240.^(EWN)^(WNT)

+ Regional forms include ''veer'' and ''wie'', and unstressed ''me'', ''ve'' and ''ver''.^(WNT)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|dum|wi]], [[inh|odt|wī]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*wiʀ]], [[inh|gem-pro|*wīz|t=we]].^(EWN)^(Wiktionary)^(Kroonen 2013) Old Dutch also has the eastern form [[m|odt|wir]], which is frequent.^(EWN) The same pronoun is [[osx|wī]], [[goh|wir]] (modern [[de|wir]]), [[ofs|wī]] (modern [[fy|wy]]), [[ang|wē]] (modern [[en|we]]), [[non|vér]] (modern [[sv|vi]]) and [[got|𐍅𐌴𐌹𐍃|tr=weis]].^(EWN)^(Van Veen & Van der Sijs 1997)^(Kroonen 2013)

+

+ De Vries explains the Germanic form as built with a plural ending in s on the stem [[ine-pro|*wei-]] of [[sa|वयम्|tr=vayám|t=we]] and [[ae|vaēm|t=we]];^(De Vries 1971)^(EWN) [[xto|was]] and [[txb|wes]] have the same plural marker.^(De Vries 1971)^(EWN) Orel takes the final z to be secondary, after other plural forms, and adds [[hit|wēš]].^(Orel 2003)^(EWN) Wiktionary reconstructs [[ine-pro|*wéy]] as the plural of the pronoun “I”.^(Wiktionary) The dual “we two”, [[osx|wit]] and [[non|vit]], is explained as [[ine-pro|*we-dwo]], with the word for “two” as its second part, like [[lt|vedù]].^(De Vries 1971)^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912)

+

+ The object form [[ons]] has its own source, the zero grade [[ine-pro|*n̥s-]] that also gave [[la|nōs|t=we, us]].^(WNT)^(Kroonen 2013)^(Orel 2003)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The Wachtendonck Psalms (10th century) have ''Uui lithon thuro fuir in thuro uuathir'' “we went through fire and through water”.^(EWN) An early Middle Dutch text of 1220–1240 has ''al went wi alle síjn geuaen'' “until we are all caught”.^(EWN)^(VMNW) In 13th-century charters the pronoun is often followed by the title of those issuing the document, as in ''Wi vinderen'' “we, the inspectors” (Ghent, 1253).^(VMNW)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The pronoun has kept its meaning from Old Dutch on.^(EWN)^(WNT) Besides the plain plural, it can stand for ''ik'' when speakers or writers want to keep themselves in the background, and it is the royal plural of a ruler.^(Van Dale 2014) In Flanders, North Brabant and Zeeland the pronoun can be repeated after the verb, as in a quotation of 1851: ''wij eten wij 's maandags keernmelkpap'' “we eat buttermilk porridge on Mondays”.^(WNT)

+

+ Afrikaans has [[m|af|wy]].^(Wiktionary) Dutch also gave Negerhollands ''wellie'', and Sranan Tongo ''wi'' comes from Dutch or English;^(Van der Sijs 2010) Indonesian once had ''wéi'', mainly as a royal “we”.^(Van der Sijs 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 901–1000 – Old Dutch ''wi'' appears in the Wachtendonck Psalms.^(EWN)^(Van der Sijs 2001)

+ * 1220–1240 – Middle Dutch ''wi'' is first recorded.^(EWN)^(VMNW)

+ * c. 1240 – The unstressed form ''we'' appears, in Limburg.^(EWN)^(VMNW)

+ * 1266–1267 – The spelling ''wij'' appears in ''wij scepenen'' “we, the aldermen”.^(EWN)

+ * 1851 – A writer records the Flemish doubled pronoun ''wij eten wij''.^(WNT)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Pronoun===

+ # [[m|en|we]]: the subject form of the first person plural;^(Van Dale 2014)^(Wiktionary) ''wij tweetjes'', the two of us.^(Van Dale 2014)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Used instead of ''ik'' by someone who does not want to put themselves forward.^(Van Dale 2014)

+ # The [[m|en|royal we]] of a monarch ([[pluralis majestatis]]).^(Van Dale 2014)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[wijzelf]]

+ * [[wij-gevoel]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ons]]

+ * [[en|we]]

+ * [[de|wir]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}