mogen Dutch · revision 37172

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈmoːɣə(n)/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''mogen''' (present ''mag''; past ''mocht'', plural ''mochten''; past participle ''gemogen'')^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912)^(Van Donselaar 1989)

+ Regional ''meugen'' is the older form of the infinitive, still used in dialects.^(WNT)^(Wiktionary)

+ Middle Dutch also had ''meughen'' and ''mueghen''.^(De Vries 1971)^(MNW)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|dum|mogen]], [[inh|odt|mugan]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*magan]], [[inh|gem-pro|*maganą|t=to be able]].^(EWN)^(Wiktionary)^(ONW) The same verb is [[osx|mugan]], [[goh|magan]] (modern [[de|mögen]]), [[ang|magan]] (modern [[en|may]]), [[non|mega]] and [[got|𐌼𐌰𐌲𐌰𐌽|tr=magan]].^(EWN)^(De Vries 1971)^(Kroonen 2013) It is a preterite-present: in Proto-Germanic the past-tense forms of a strong verb, with ⟨*mag-⟩, came to serve as its present, and a new infinitive and a new past tense were then formed, as in [[deugen]].^(EWN) The present ⟨mag⟩ keeps the old vowel.^(De Vries 1971)^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912) The forms with ⟨*mug-⟩, to which the modern infinitive goes back, arose later on the model of ⟨*skal, *skul-⟩ ([[zullen]]) and ⟨*kann, *kunn-⟩ ([[kunnen]]).^(EWN)^(De Vries 1971)

+

+ The further origin is unclear.^(EWN) Only [[cu|мошти|tr=mošti|t=to be able]] is certainly related; probably [[grc|μάχομαι|tr=mákhomai|t=to fight]], with an unexplained ⟨a⟩, and [[lt|mėgti|t=to like]] belong here too, which would make a root [[ine-pro|*mogʰ-]].^(EWN)^(Kroonen 2013) Kroonen sets up the same root and explains the verb as an old perfect.^(Kroonen 2013) [[grc|μηχανή|tr=mēkhanḗ|t=means, device]], the source of [[machine]], and [[m|grc|μέγας|tr=mégas|t=big]] are often compared but probably unrelated.^(EWN)^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The verb first appears in the 10th-century Wachtendonck Psalms in the sense “can, be possible”: ''so mohti geburran'', “so it could happen”.^(EWN)^(ONW) Willeram's paraphrase of the Song of Songs, about 1100, says that the thorns ''nemugan'', “cannot”, protect the lily.^(EWN)^(ONW) By 1236 Middle Dutch texts use ''mogen'' both for being able and for being allowed: ''vlesch mogen si eten al dat iar'', “they may eat meat all the year”.^(EWN)^(VMNW)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The original meaning was “to be able, to be strong”.^(EWN)^(MNW) The Middle Dutch dictionary finds only traces of the bodily sense, which lasted into the 17th century in ''niet meer mogen'', to have no strength left (1612), and ''niet wel mogen'', to be unwell (1596).^(MNW)^(WNT) “Can” survives in a few constructions such as ''het mocht niet baten'', “it was no use”, and in the derived verb [[vermogen]].^(EWN)^(Van Dale 2014)

+

+ From “can” came “to be permitted”, already the main sense in the earliest Middle Dutch texts and the main one today.^(EWN)^(VMNW) Middle Dutch also used the verb for obligation, ''hi mach hem scamen'', “he ought to be ashamed” (1287), and later for liking: a text of 1300–1325 says of people that they ''niet en mochten'' their gods, “hated” them.^(EWN) About 1370 it could mean “to have an appetite for”, a sense Belgian Dutch keeps for food.^(EWN)^(Van Dale 2014) The modern ''graag mogen'' “to be fond of” parallels the Lithuanian sense “to like”.^(EWN) In 1984 Reinsma noted ''u mag'' as a new polite form of request, as in ''dan mag u die deur door'', “then please go through that door” (1982).^(Reinsma 1984) Surinamese Dutch uses ''ik mag'' for “I am in my rights”.^(Van Donselaar 1989)

+

+ Papiamentu ''mag'' and Sranan Tongo ''mag'' mean “power” and in Sranan also “to please”;^(Van der Sijs 2010)^(Wiktionary) Afrikaans has [[m|af|mag]].^(Van der Sijs 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 901–1000 – Old Dutch ''mohti'' “could” is recorded in the Wachtendonck Psalms.^(EWN)^(ONW)

+ * c. 1100 – Willeram's paraphrase has ''nemugan'' “cannot”.^(EWN)^(ONW)

+ * 1200 – Middle Dutch ''mogen'' is recorded in the Servatius legend.^(Van der Sijs 2001)^(VMNW)

+ * 1236 – ''Mogen'' “to be allowed” is recorded.^(EWN)^(VMNW)

+ * 1240 – The adjective ''mogenlic'' “possible”, modern [[mogelijk]], is recorded.^(EWN)

+ * 1287 – ''Mogen'' is used for “ought to”.^(EWN)

+ * 1300–1325 – ''Mogen'' “to like” appears, in the negative.^(EWN)

+ * c. 1370 – ''Mogen'' “to have an appetite for” is recorded.^(EWN)

+ * 1982 – Polite ''u mag'' “please” is recorded.^(Reinsma 1984)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To be [[m|en|allow|alt=allowed]] to, may: ''Mag ik even je fiets lenen?''^(Van Dale 2014)^(ANW)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To be permitted: ''Roken mag hier niet.''^(Van Dale 2014)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To have reason to; ought to: ''Je mag blij zijn dat je niets gebroken hebt.''^(Van Dale 2014)^(WikiWoordenboek)

+ # (past tense, in conditions) Expresses a possibility: ''Mocht het regenen, dan blijven we binnen.''^(WikiWoordenboek)

+ # To [[m|en|like]] someone or something: ''Ik mag haar wel.''^(Van Dale 2014)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Belgium)'' To like the taste of a food: ''Mag jij spruitjes?''^(Van Dale 2014)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[meug]]

+ * [[vermogen]]

+ * [[mogelijk]]

+ * [[macht]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[misschien]]

+ * [[en|may]]

+ * [[de|mögen]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Er mogen zijn'' means to be quite good, attractive or sizeable.^(Van Dale 2014)^(WNT) Older Dutch used ''mogen'' in curses and ironic refusals, such as ''dat mag je de koekoek!'', “no thank you”.^(Van Sterkenburg 2001)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}