elkaar Dutch · revision 37211

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=1252–1253, Middle Dutch}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ɛlˈkaːr/, [ɛɤ̯ˈkaːɻ]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''elkaar''' (genitive elkaars)^(Wiktionary)

+ The full form ''elkander'' is now formal;^(EWN) ''mekaar'' is common in speech, especially but not only in Belgium.^(EWN)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a contraction of [[elkander]], [[af|nl|elk|ander]].^(EWN)^(Van Veen & Van der Sijs 1997)^(Wiktionary) In Middle Dutch they were still written separately: [[elk]] was the subject and [[ander]] was inflected, as in ⟨elc stac andren⟩ “each stabbed the other”.^(EWN)^(Van Veen & Van der Sijs 1997)^(WNT) Compare [[de|einander]] and [[en|each other]].^(De Vries & De Tollenaere 2004|120)

+

+ The short form is at home in the coastal dialects and spread from there into the standard language.^(EWN) Vercoullie explained its ⟨-aar⟩ as the Frisian and Saxon form of ⟨ander⟩ without ⟨n⟩;^(Vercoullie 1925) the Philippa dictionary says that the old North Sea Germanic loss of ⟨n⟩, as in [[muiden]] beside [[mond]], has nothing to do with it, though the change is similar.^(EWN)

+

+ The variant [[mekaar]] developed in the same way from [[malkaar]] and [[malkander]], whose first part is Middle Dutch [[m|dum|mallic]], [[m|dum|manlic|t=everyone]], from [[man]] and the word that gave [[gelijk]], like [[goh|mannilīh]].^(EWN)^(Vercoullie 1925)^(Van Veen & Van der Sijs 1997)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The oldest record is a charter of 1252–1253 with ''helc es anders borghe'', “each other's surety”.^(EWN) In the Wrake van Ragisel (1260–1280) knights would gladly ''elc andren steken'' “stab each other” to the ground, and the Rijmbijbel of 1285 has ''elc stac andren''.^(EWN)^(Van der Sijs 2001)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The joined form ''elkander'' is in use from the 16th century, as in a text of 1530 on beams bolted ''in elc andren'' “into each other” with iron bolts.^(WNT) With prepositions it expresses close joining or quick succession: ''in malkander'' “curled up together” (1714).^(WNT) The older ''aan elkander komen'', to come to blows, has gone out of use.^(WNT)

+

+ In writing the contracted form appears only in the 19th century, first as ''elkaâr'' with a circumflex for the lost sounds; by the end of that century ''elkaar'' prevailed.^(EWN) It must be much older in speech, for the 1750 record is in the dialogue of a comedy.^(EWN) ''Malkander'' is recorded from 1260–1270 and ''malkaar'' from 1621.^(Van Veen & Van der Sijs 1997)^(Van der Sijs 2001)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1252–1253 – ''Helc es anders'' “of each other” in a charter.^(EWN)

+ * 1260–1270 – ''Malliec andren'' in the Boeve van Hamtone.^(Van Veen & Van der Sijs 1997)^(Van der Sijs 2001)

+ * 1285 – ''Elc stac andren'' in the Rijmbijbel.^(EWN)^(Van der Sijs 2001)

+ * 1530 – ''In elc andren'' “into each other”.^(WNT)

+ * 1621 – ''Malkaar'' appears.^(Van Veen & Van der Sijs 1997)

+ * 1750 – ''Elkaâr'' in the dialogue of a comedy.^(EWN)

+ * 1835 – ''Door elkaar'' “mixed up”.^(EWN)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Pronoun===

+ # [[m|en|each other]], [[m|en|one another]]: ''Ze kennen elkaar al jaren.''^(Van Dale 2014)^(WikiWoordenboek)^(Wiktionary)

+ # After prepositions, expressing a mutual relation, joining or quick succession: ''drie dagen achter elkaar'', three days in a row.^(Van Dale 2014)^(WNT)^(WikiWoordenboek)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[elk]]

+ * [[ander]]

+ * [[mekaar]]

+ * [[de|einander]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Iets voor elkaar krijgen'' is to manage to get something done.^(Van Dale 2014)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}