dit Dutch · revision 37090

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1100, Old Dutch (Willeram)}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''dit''' (the neuter singular of the demonstrative [[deze]])^(VMNW)^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912)

+ Middle Dutch also had an emphatic form ''ditte''.^(EWN)^(De Vries 1971)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|dum|dit]], [[inh|odt|thit]].^(EWN)^(ONW) The oldest Old Dutch record has [[m|odt|thiz]], a form coloured by German.^(EWN) The same word is [[osx|thit]] (Middle Low German [[m|gml|dit]]), [[goh|diz]] (Middle High German [[m|gmh|diz]]) and [[ofs|thit]].^(EWN)^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912)

+

+ Its origin is unclear.^(EWN)^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912)^(De Vries & De Tollenaere 2004|252) A starting point [[gem-pro|*þat-se]], [[dat]] with the deictic particle ⟨s⟩ of [[deze]], has been proposed;^(Van Haeringen 1936)^(De Vries 1971) Van Haeringen and De Vries thought it might explain the Old High German form, its vowel changed under the influence of other pronouns.^(Van Haeringen 1936)^(De Vries 1971) The EWN finds it very doubtful, since it would not regularly give an ⟨i⟩ and the cluster ⟨-ts-⟩ would have become ⟨-ss-⟩.^(EWN) It suggests instead that the unstressed neuter [[m|gem-pro|*þat]] was adapted to the masculine and feminine forms with ⟨-i-⟩ or ⟨-e-⟩, as in [[die]].^(EWN) Franck and Van Wijk thought none of the older proposals, such as [[ine-pro|*ted-de]], likely.^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912) [[ang|þis]] (English ⟨this⟩) and a Runic Norse form belong rather with ⟨deze⟩.^(EWN)

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+ The emphatic ⟨ditte⟩ may have arisen late under the influence of the longer ⟨deze⟩.^(Van Haeringen 1936)^(De Vries 1971)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old Dutch ''thiz'' is first recorded in the Willeram of about 1100: ''Thiz is thiu stemma mines wines'' “This is the voice of my beloved”.^(EWN)^(ONW) The Reimbibel of 1151–1200 has ''Thit gerihte'' “this judgement”.^(ONW)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Middle Dutch ''dit'' pointed to a neuter thing just mentioned or near the speaker or writer, often strengthened by [[hier]], as in ''dit leuen hier'' “this life here” (1265).^(VMNW) It was often run together with neighbouring words: ''dets'' “this is”, ''endit'' “and this”.^(VMNW) Used on its own it could refer to a whole matter: ''Also er thiz habet getan'', “when he had done this”.^(ONW)

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+ From the 17th century ''dit en dat'' “this and that” stood in for a word one wished to avoid, such as an oath or a term of abuse: ''Ick sweer by dit en dat'' (1636).^(Van Sterkenburg 2001)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1100 – Old Dutch ''thiz'' is recorded in the Willeram.^(EWN)^(ONW)

+ * 1151–1200 – ''thit'' is recorded in the Reimbibel.^(ONW)

+ * 1200 – Middle Dutch ''dit'' appears in Limburg, in the Servatius legend.^(EWN)^(VMNW)

+ * 1201–1225 – ''dit'' is recorded in Floyris.^(Van der Sijs 2001)^(EWN)

+ * 1240–1260 – The emphatic ''ditte'' is recorded.^(EWN)

+ * 1636 – ''dit en dat'' replaces an oath in Meulewels's ''Timon Misanthropos''.^(Van Sterkenburg 2001)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Pronoun===

+ # [[m|en|this]]: with a neuter singular noun, pointing to something near the speaker: ''Dit huis is te koop.''^(Van Dale 2014)^(WikiWoordenboek)

+ # Used on its own: this, this thing or matter: ''Is dit van jou?''^(WikiWoordenboek)^(VMNW)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[deze]]

+ * [[dat]]

+ * [[die]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''dit en dat'' still replaces a curse in ''loop naar de dit en dat'' “go to the devil”.^(Van Sterkenburg 2001)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}