beter Dutch · revision 37137

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈbeːtər/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''beter''' (comparative of [[goed]]; inflected ''betere''; superlative [[best]])^(EWN)^(WNT)

+ The old adverb ''bet'', Middle Dutch also ''bat'', “better, more”, survives in [[betweter]] and [[betovergrootvader]].^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912)^(De Vries 1971)^(De Vries & De Tollenaere 2004|69)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|dum|beter]], [[inh|odt|betiro]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*batiʀō]], [[inh|gem-pro|*batizô|alt=*batiza-]].^(EWN)^(Wiktionary)^(ONW) The same comparative is [[osx|betera]], [[goh|bezziro]] (modern [[de|besser]]), [[ofs|betera]] (modern [[fy|better]]), [[ang|betera]] (modern [[en|better]]), [[non|betri]] and [[got|𐌱𐌰𐍄𐌹𐌶𐌰|tr=batiza]], with the superlatives [[m|ang|betst]] and [[m|got|𐌱𐌰𐍄𐌹𐍃𐍄𐍃|tr=batists]] beside them.^(EWN)^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912)^(Van Veen & Van der Sijs 1997) In all the Germanic languages it serves as the comparative of [[gem-pro|*gōdaz|alt=*gōda-]] “good”.^(EWN)

+

+ It is the comparative of a root ⟨*bat-⟩ “good”, which also lies behind [[baat]] and [[baten]], and with lengthened grade [[boete]].^(EWN)^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912)^(De Vries & De Tollenaere 2004|69) Pokorny, followed by De Vries, compared an Old Indic adjective meaning “auspicious, good”, but Franck and Van Wijk think this unlikely.^(De Vries 1971)^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912) Beside the adjective Germanic had an adverb ⟨*batiz⟩, whose forms without umlaut, Middle Dutch ⟨bat⟩ and Old High German ⟨baz⟩, Van Haeringen explains by early loss of the ⟨-i⟩ in such adverbs.^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912)^(Van Haeringen 1936)^(De Vries 1971)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old Dutch ''betera'' appears in the Wachtendonck Psalms of the 10th century: ''betera ist ginatha thina ouir lif'', “your mercy is better than life”.^(ONW)^(Van der Sijs 2001) Around 1100 the Egmond Willeram has ''bezzere sint thine spune themo wine'' “your breasts are better than wine”.^(ONW) Middle Dutch ''beter'' is recorded in Ghent in 1253.^(EWN)^(VMNW)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Middle Dutch charters ''beter'' often meant “more, worth more”: pledges were checked to see whether they were ''beter dan tgelt'', worth more than the money lent on them, and ''den derden penninc beter'' was a third more (1299).^(VMNW)^(MNW) ''Beter tijt'', like ''beter coop'', meant cheaper times (1460).^(MNW) Used as a noun, ''iemands betere'' was his superior (1340), and ''doer sbeters wille'' “for the better” is found in 1290.^(MNW)^(VMNW)

+

+ ''Iemands beter ik'' is one's better, moral self.^(WNT) The sense “recovered, well again” is found in 1692, when a count is described as ''beter zijnde'' after a terrible attack of illness.^(WNT) Modern Dutch also uses it for a certain level of quality or class: ''de betere kringen''.^(Van Dale 2014)

+

+ The word went into Negerhollands (''bēter''), Berbice Dutch (''betre'' “better; to improve”) and Sranan (''betre'' “better; to recover”); Aukan and Saramaccan took it from Dutch or English.^(Van der Sijs 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

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

+ * c. 1100 – The Willeram has ''bezzere''.^(ONW)

+ * 1253 – Middle Dutch ''beter'' is recorded in Ghent.^(EWN)^(VMNW)

+ * 1290 – ''Doer sbeters wille'' “for the better” is recorded.^(VMNW)

+ * 1299 – ''Den derden penninc beter'' “a third more” appears.^(VMNW)^(MNW)

+ * 1692 – The sense “recovered from illness” is recorded.^(WNT)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|better]], comparative of [[goed]]: ''Dit boek is beter dan het vorige.''^(Van Dale 2014)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Recovered, well again after an illness: ''Ben je alweer beter?''^(Van Dale 2014)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Of a certain level, superior, as in ''de betere restaurants''.^(Van Dale 2014)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # Better, comparative of ''goed'' and [[wel]]: ''Ze zingt beter dan ik.''^(WikiWoordenboek)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[beteren]]

+ * [[beterschap]]

+ * [[verbeteren]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[best]]

+ * [[baat]]

+ * [[boete]]

+ * [[en|better]]

+ * [[de|besser]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The proverb ''beter benijd dan beklaagd'' says that it is better to be envied for one's wealth than pitied for one's poverty.^(Van Dale 2014) ''Des te beter'' means “so much the better”.^(Van Dale 2014)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}