of Dutch · revision 37111

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=inherited|attested=901–1000, Wachtendonck Psalms|origins=gem-pro *jabai}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ɔf/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''of'''^(Wiktionary)

+ Older ''ofte'', still found in ''nooit ofte nimmer'' and in [[oftewel]].^(EWN)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|dum|of]] (also [[m|dum|ofte]], [[m|dum|ochte]]), [[inh|odt|of|t=if, whether]].^(EWN)^(Wiktionary)^(ONW) In modern Dutch the subordinating conjunction “if, whether”, recorded in Old Dutch, has fallen together with the coordinating Middle Dutch conjunction “or”, whose origin differs, and already the earliest Middle Dutch uses each form in both functions.^(EWN)^(VMNW)^(WNT)

+

+ The subordinating conjunction matches [[osx|of]] (later [[gml|jof]]), [[goh|oba]] (modern [[de|ob]]), [[ofs|jef]], [[ang|gif]] (modern [[en|if]]), [[non|ef]] and [[got|𐌾𐌰𐌱𐌰𐌹|tr=jabai|t=if]], [[m|got|𐌹𐌱𐌰𐌹|tr=ibai|t=whether, lest]].^(EWN)^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912)^(De Vries 1971) These forms do not lead clearly to one ancestor, but most scholars reconstruct [[gem-pro|*jabai]] or a stem ⟨*(j)a-ba-⟩: an unstressed pronominal stem with an emphatic particle that is compared with [[grc|φή|tr=phḗ|t=just as]], [[ae|bā|t=indeed]], [[cu|бо|tr=bo|t=for]] and [[lt|bà|t=yes indeed]].^(EWN)^(De Vries 1971)^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912) Wiktionary takes the Germanic form as the dative of a noun meaning “condition, doubt”, much as Grimm explained it from [[goh|iba|t=doubt]].^(Wiktionary)^(WNT)

+

+ The coordinating conjunction matches [[osx|eftha]] and [[ofs|jeftha]], and with ⟨þþ⟩ [[m|osx|ettho]], [[goh|eddo]], [[m|goh|odo]] (modern [[de|oder]]), [[ang|oþþe]], [[non|eða]] and [[got|𐌰𐌹𐌸𐌸𐌰𐌿|tr=aiþþau|t=or]].^(EWN)^(De Vries 1971)^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912) Its second element is taken to be [[m|got|𐌸𐌰𐌿|tr=þau|t=or, than]], the word in [[doch]], probably an old dual form of the second-person pronoun, while the first element is obscure and may be the subordinating conjunction itself.^(EWN)^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912) De Vries preferred to keep the forms with ⟨þþ⟩ apart, comparing their first element with [[la|et|t=and]] and [[m|grc|ἔτι|tr=éti|t=besides]].^(De Vries 1971) The variant with ⟨cht⟩ arose by the change of /ft/ to /xt/, as in [[achter]], but did not become general because the short form was so strong.^(EWN)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In the 10th-century Wachtendonck Psalms Old Dutch ''of'' introduces conditions, as in ''of gi slapit under mitdon sumnungun'' “if you sleep amid the assemblies”, and the ONW also finds it in the Lex Salica in the sense “if”.^(EWN)^(ONW) Around 1100 the Leiden Willeram has it for “whether”, in ''tho ich zuifleda, of ich'' “when I doubted whether I…”.^(EWN)^(ONW) The coordinating use “or” is first found in Middle Dutch in the Floyris of 1201–25, where the hero will either die of grief ''of'' win back his beloved.^(EWN)^(Van der Sijs 2001)^(VMNW)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Thirteenth-century Middle Dutch used ''of'', ''ofte'' and ''ochte'' in both functions, partly through confusion and partly through sound changes in connected speech.^(EWN)^(VMNW) ''Ofte'' became obsolete in modern Dutch but survives in [[oftewel]] and in the phrases ''nooit ofte nimmer'' and ''ja ofte nee''.^(EWN) The States Bible kept ''of'' and ''oft'' carefully apart, although 17th-century writers often confused them.^(WNT)

+

+ As “if” ''of'' was the usual word in Middle Dutch and still current in the 17th century, before [[indien]] took its place.^(WNT) By the time of the WNT it was used in that sense only in familiar speech and of a possible future case, as in a letter of 1784: ''of het echter wat laat wierd'' “in case it got rather late”.^(WNT) In West Flemish and Zealandic ''of'' also means “as, than”, as in ''hij is groter of ik'' “he is taller than me”.^(Debrabandere 2002)^(Debrabandere 2007)

+

+ The coordinating conjunction passed into Frisian, Papiamentu (''òf''), Negerhollands, Javanese (''op''), Chinese Malay, Sranan Tongo (''ofu'') and Aukan (''ofoe''), and Sranan took the subordinating one too.^(Van der Sijs 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 901–1000 – Subordinating ''of'' “if” in the Wachtendonck Psalms.^(EWN)^(Van der Sijs 2001)

+ * c. 1100 – ''Of'' “whether” in the Leiden Willeram.^(EWN)^(ONW)

+ * 1201–25 – Coordinating ''of'' “or” in the Floyris.^(Van der Sijs 2001)^(EWN)

+ * 1236 – ''Enen of tue'' “one or two” in Ghent.^(EWN)^(VMNW)

+ * 1240 – ''Og'' glosses Latin ''vel'' and ''sive'' in a Limburg glossary.^(VMNW)

+ * 1251–75 – ''XV iaer ofte meer'' “fifteen years or more”.^(EWN)

+ * 1611 – ''Of'' “if” still in general use.^(WNT)

+ * 1784 – ''Of het echter wat laat wierd'' “in case it got rather late”.^(WNT)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Conjunction===

+ # ''(coordinating)'' [[m|en|or]]: ''Wil je thee of koffie?''^(Van Dale 2014)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(coordinating)'' That is, in other words: ''een velo, of fiets''.^(Van Dale 2014)^(WikiWoordenboek)

+ # ''(coordinating, after a command or warning)'' Or else: ''Schiet op, of we missen de bus.''^(Van Dale 2014)

+ # ''(coordinating, after a negation)'' Introducing what follows at once: ''Hij was nog niet binnen of het begon te regenen.''^(Van Dale 2014)

+ # ''(coordinating, with numbers)'' About, roughly: ''een man of twintig''.^(Van Dale 2014)^(WikiWoordenboek)

+ # ''(of … of)'' Either … or: ''Of je helpt mee, of je gaat weg.''^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(subordinating)'' [[m|en|whether]], if: ''Ik vraag me af of ze nog komt.''^(Van Dale 2014)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(subordinating)'' Concessive, whether or not: ''Of je het leuk vindt of niet, het moet gebeuren.''^(Van Dale 2014)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(subordinating)'' As if: ''Hij keek of hij het niet begreep.''^(Van Dale 2014)

+ # ''(subordinating, informal)'' After a question word: ''Weet jij hoe laat of het is?''^(Van Dale 2014)

+ # ''(subordinating)'' As a strong affirmation: ''Of ik dat wil!''^(Van Dale 2014)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ofschoon]]

+ * [[ofwel]]

+ * [[oftewel]]

+ * [[alsof]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[doch]]

+ * [[en|if]]

+ * [[de|ob]]

+ * [[de|oder]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Van Dale has ''doen of iemand lucht is'' “to ignore someone”.^(Van Dale 2014) The WNT warns that ''of'' “if” was in its time restricted to a supposed future case and could no longer stand for a general condition.^(WNT)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}