moeten Dutch · revision 37093

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1100, Old Dutch (Willeram)|origins=gem-pro *mōtaną}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈmutə(n)/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''moeten''' (past tense ''moest'')^(EWN)

+ Middle Dutch had a past tense ''most'' beside ''moeste''.^(WNT)^(MNW) The form ''most'' lived on in popular speech but was avoided in careful language.^(WNT)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|dum|moeten]], [[inh|odt|muotan]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*mōtan]], [[inh|gem-pro|*mōtaną]].^(EWN)^(Wiktionary) The EWN gives the Proto-Germanic sense as “to be able, to have the opportunity”.^(EWN) The same word is [[osx|mōtan]], [[goh|muozan]] (modern [[de|müssen]]), [[ofs|mōta]] (modern West Frisian [[m|fy|moatte]]), [[ang|mōtan|t=must, may]] and [[got|𐌲𐌰𐌼𐍉𐍄𐌰𐌽|tr=gamōtan|t=to find room]].^(EWN)^(Kroonen 2013)^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912) The English [[m|en|must]] continues the Old English past tense, which first meant “should have to” and now means “must”.^(EWN)^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912)

+

+ The verb is a preterite-present: in origin a strong verb of the sixth class whose past forms came to be used as a present.^(EWN)^(ONW) A new infinitive and a new past tense ⟨*mōt-ta-⟩ were then formed beside them.^(EWN) That past tense regularly became ⟨*mōssa-⟩, which no longer looked like a past, so the past ⟨-t-⟩ was added again: through ⟨*mōsta-⟩ this led to Dutch ⟨moest⟩, much as in the past tense of [[weten]].^(EWN)

+

+ Its further origin is unknown.^(EWN)^(De Vries & De Tollenaere 2004|252)^(WNT) The noun [[m|dum|moete|t=leisure, time between work]], with [[m|osx|mōta]] and [[m|goh|muoza]], points to an old sense “to have freedom, room or the occasion”.^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912)^(De Vries 1971) De Vries found a link with [[ine-pro|*med-|t=to measure]] possible only through a strained development of meaning, unless both verbs come from the language of wickerwork, as Jost Trier proposed.^(De Vries 1971) Kroonen derives the verb from a root [[ine-pro|*mod-]], which he finds in [[xcl|մատչիմ|tr=matčʻim|t=to approach, come close]].^(Kroonen 2013) Wiktionary takes it as a secondary perfect of the root meaning “to measure”.^(Wiktionary) The EWN sees probably no connection with [[ontmoeten]].^(EWN)^(Wiktionary) Franck and Van Wijk thought that link could be neither proved nor disproved.^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The verb first appears in the Old Dutch Willeram of about 1100, meaning “to be able”: ''thaz wir thich anasihen muozen'' “so that we may look at you”.^(EWN)^(ONW) The sense “to be forced” follows in the Reimbibel of 1151–1200: ''thes most er the tiefere uallen'' “therefore he had to fall the deeper”.^(EWN)^(ONW)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Middle Dutch the verb meant both “to be obliged, to be compelled” and “may, to be allowed”.^(EWN)^(VMNW) With a negation it expressed a prohibition, as in a Ghent rule of 1236 that nobody “may” tell outsiders what was said in the chapter.^(VMNW)^(EWN) It also served to express a wish, as in ''Onse here moete met u wesen'' “may our Lord be with you”.^(MNW) The meanings of ''moeten'', [[durven]], [[kunnen]] and [[mogen]] lie close together and have often run into one another.^(EWN)

+

+ The sense “may” was common in Middle Dutch but has become obsolete in modern Dutch, though the WNT still found it in the south.^(EWN)^(WNT) The use for a wish died out too.^(WNT) The present main sense “to be obliged” is already found in the oldest Middle Dutch records.^(EWN) In the south ''moeten'' with a negation long kept the sense “to need”, where the north says [[hoeven]].^(WNT)^(Van Dale 2014) In colloquial speech, mostly with a negation, ''iemand niet moeten'' means to dislike someone.^(WNT)

+

+ The verb went with Dutch overseas: Negerhollands has ''moet'', ''moe'' and ''mo'', Berbice Dutch ''mu'' and ''muti'', and Sranan Tongo ''mu''.^(Van der Sijs 2010)^(Wiktionary) Swedish ''måste'' “to have to” comes from Dutch or Low German.^(Van der Sijs 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1100 – Old Dutch ''muozen'' “to be able” is recorded in the Willeram.^(EWN)^(ONW)

+ * 1151–1200 – The Reimbibel uses ''most'' in the sense “had to”.^(EWN)^(ONW)

+ * 1201–1225 – Middle Dutch ''moeten'' “to be obliged” is first recorded, in Floyris.^(Van der Sijs 2001)^(EWN)

+ * 1236 – The rules of the Ghent leper house use the negated verb for “may not”.^(VMNW)

+ * 1536 – An ordinance uses the verb for “to be allowed”: nobody “may” sell brandy in the taverns.^(WNT)

+ * 1559 – ''moet'' expresses a wish, a use now obsolete.^(WNT)

+ * 1570 – ''moeten'' appears in the sense “to need”, later mainly southern.^(WNT)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To have to, to be [[m|en|obliged]] to: ''Je moet je fiets op slot zetten.''^(Van Dale 2014)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To be necessary, to be needed: ''Die brief moet vandaag nog weg.''^(Van Dale 2014)^(Wiktionary) ''eraan moeten'': to have to die, or to have to go.^(Van Dale 2014)

+ # Should, to be supposed to: ''De trein moet om acht uur vertrekken.''^(Wiktionary)

+ # To have to go somewhere: ''Ik moet nog naar de bakker.''^(Wiktionary) Informally also: to need the [[m|en|toilet]].^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Belgium)'' With a negation or restriction: to need, to be wanted: ''Je moet niet komen als je geen tijd hebt.''^(Van Dale 2014)^(WNT)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' With a negation: to dislike someone: ''Zij moet die nieuwe buurman niet.''^(WNT)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(het moeten)'' [[m|en|compulsion]], obligation.^(Van Dale 2014)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[moetje]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en|must]]

+ * [[de|müssen]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The saying ''moeten is dwang en huilen is kindergezang'' is an old answer to a child who insists that it “must” have something.^(WNT) In Flanders ''moeten'' was used for “to owe”, a sense De Vreese took from [[fr|devoir]].^(De Vreese 1899) In Surinamese Dutch ''moeten'' need not express compulsion, and ''Wat moet u?'' is a polite “what can I do for you?”.^(Van Donselaar 1989)

+

+ Two rarer verbs share the spelling.^(WNT) One meant “to meet” and belongs with [[ontmoeten]].^(WNT)^(MNW) The other was a sailors' word for pushing a boat or the rudder gently, recorded in 1671.^(WNT)^(Winschoten 1681)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}