nou Dutch · revision 37189

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1313, Middle Dutch|origins=ine-pro *nu}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /nɑu̯/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''nou'''^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|dum|nou]], a variant of [[m|dum|nu]], [[inh|odt|nu]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*nū]], [[inh|gem-pro|*nu|t=now]].^(EWN)^(Wiktionary)^(Van Veen & Van der Sijs 1997) The same word is [[osx|nū]], [[goh|nū]] (modern [[de|nun]]), [[ofs|nū]] (modern [[fy|no]]), [[ang|nū]] (modern [[en|now]]), [[non|nú]] and [[got|𐌽𐌿|tr=nu]].^(EWN)^(Orel 2003)^(De Vries 1971) It continues [[ine-pro|*nu|t=now]], the source also of [[la|nunc]], [[grc|νῦν|tr=nûn]], [[sa|नु|tr=nú]] and [[lt|nù]]; in some languages the word also means “only” or “just”.^(EWN)^(Orel 2003)^(Wiktionary) The adjective [[nieuw]] is related.^(EWN)^(Van Veen & Van der Sijs 1997)^(WNT)

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+ The form with ⟨ou⟩ came from Brabant.^(EWN) De Vries explains it as a dialect pronunciation that probably arose before vowels, from ⟨nû(w)⟩.^(De Vries 1971)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The base form ''nu'' is Old Dutch, first in the 10th-century Wachtendonck Psalms: ''ende nu kununga fornemt'' “and now, kings, understand”.^(EWN)^(Van der Sijs 2001) The spelling ''nou'' is first recorded in 1313, in ''nou ende immermeer'' “now and for evermore”, and a text of 1351 has ''nou wilic jou gaen scriven'' “now I will write to you”.^(EWN)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Nou'' became the usual form of the word in the popular speech of much of the Netherlands, but writers kept to ''nu'' until well into the 20th century, except when they reproduced speech.^(EWN) By 1616 it was used in a cry of annoyance, ''hoe hebben wy 't nou?'' “what is this now?”, and in 1714 as an interjection opening a sentence.^(EWN)^(WNT)

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+ When and how far the spelling pronunciation of ''nu'' spread cannot be traced; in today's spoken and informal written Dutch of the Netherlands, ''nu'' is used for time and for “since”, and ''nou'' in most other uses, where the sense of time has faded or gone.^(EWN) The interjection travelled to Negerhollands (''noe'', ''nou''), Berbice Dutch (''nau''), Skepi Dutch and Petjo (''ai-nou'' “come on”), and Caribbean Javanese took ''na'' as a particle of emphasis;^(Van der Sijs 2010)^(Wiktionary) Afrikaans has [[m|af|nou]].^(Van der Sijs 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

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

+ * 1313 – The form ''nou'', in ''nou ende immermeer''.^(EWN)

+ * 1351 – ''Nou wilic jou gaen scriven''.^(EWN)

+ * 1616 – ''Hoe hebben wy 't nou?'', a cry of annoyance.^(EWN)^(WNT)

+ * 1617 – ''Maer nou is hy ouwt en doof'' “but now he is old and deaf”.^(EWN)^(WNT)

+ * 1714 – ''Nou'' as an interjection.^(EWN)^(WNT)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # ''(informal)'' [[m|en|now]], at present; the same as [[nu]]: ''Waar woon je nou?''^(Van Dale 2014)^(Wiktionary)^(WikiWoordenboek)

+ # ''(informal)'' A [[m|en|modal particle]] of urgency or impatience: ''Kom nou maar!''^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(informal)'' A particle marking contrast or disbelief: ''Dat is nou niet bepaald slim.''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Conjunction===

+ # ''(informal)'' Now that, since.^(Van Dale 2014)

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+ ===Interjection===

+ # Well; opening a reply, often with doubt: ''Nou, ik weet het niet.''^(Wiktionary)

+ # Expressing surprise or indignation: ''Nou, nou!''^(Wiktionary)^(WikiWoordenboek)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[nu]]

+ * [[nieuw]]

+ * [[en|now]]

+ * [[de|nun]]

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+ ==Usage notes==

+ In the standard written language ''nu'' is preferred for “at this moment” and “since”, while ''nou'' belongs to speech and to its other uses.^(EWN) ''Nou vraag ik je!'' expresses amazed indignation.^(Van Dale 2014) In Jewish Dutch ''noh'', ''nòh'' or ''nou'' expressed hesitation or contempt, after Yiddish.^(Van de Kamp 2006)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}