klein Dutch · revision 37224

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1100, Old Dutch (Egmond Williram)|origins=gem-pro *klainiz}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /klɛi̯n/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''klein''' (comparative kleiner, superlative kleinst)^(Wiktionary)

+ In elevated and poetic language, and in West Flemish and Brabant dialects, the form ''kleen'' is used.^(WNT)

+ A form ''klien'' was once general in Holland and survives in Zaan dialect compounds.^(WNT)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|dum|cleine]], [[inh|odt|klēni]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*klainī]], [[inh|gem-pro|*klainiz|alt=*klainja-|t=fine, pure]].^(EWN)^(Wiktionary)^(Kroonen 2013) The adjective is found only in West Germanic: [[osx|klēni|t=fine, slender, clever]], [[goh|kleini|t=pure, neat, delicate, slight]] (modern [[de|klein]]), [[ofs|klēne|t=small]] and [[ang|clǣne|t=pure]] (modern [[en|clean]]).^(EWN)^(De Vries 1971)^(Kroonen 2013) Middle Dutch had both ⟨cleine⟩ and ⟨clêne⟩.^(EWN)^(De Vries & De Tollenaere 2004)

+

+ Its further origin is unclear, since no certain cognates outside Germanic exist.^(EWN) The usual view is that it first meant “shining”, which led to “clean” on one side and to “neat, fine” and then “small” on the other.^(EWN)^(De Vries 1971)^(Van Veen & Van der Sijs 1997) On this view it has been linked with a single gloss in Hesychius, [[grc|γλαινοί|tr=glainoí|t=glittering ornaments]] and a root [[ine-pro|*gelH-]], but one gloss is weak evidence.^(EWN)^(De Vries 1971)^(Van Haeringen 1936) Others, Kroonen among them, derive it from the root of [[non|klína|t=to smear]] and [[goh|klenan|t=to smear, glue]], which is also that of [[klei]] “clay”, with the sense “smeared, polished”.^(EWN)^(Kroonen 2013)^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912) Wiktionary also notes a proposal that it is a borrowing from a pre-Germanic language.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The Egmond Williram of about 1100 speaks of one who rises from the desert like ''eyn cleyna riuchgerda uone mirron'', a little bundle of myrrh,^(ONW)^(EWN) and a text from Werden of about 1151 has ''beithe groz ande cleine'', “both great and small”.^(ONW) The adjective appears in the Gelderland place name ''Cleinhurst'' in 1130.^(ONW) In Middle Dutch ''cleine'' first occurs in 1220–1240 in the sense “slight”, in a line saying the count would gain very little from it.^(EWN)^(VMNW)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The older sense “fine” still occurs in Middle Dutch, as in wood ''arde cleene'' “very finely ground” in 1287, but already in the 13th century ''clene'' mostly means “small, slight, of little importance” and contrasts with [[groot]].^(EWN)^(VMNW) Dutch made this change earlier than German, where ''klein'' meant “neat, dainty” for a long time.^(EWN) The old meaning survives in [[kleinood]] “jewel”, borrowed from German, and in the phrase ''klein maar rein'', “small but neat”.^(EWN)^(Van Veen & Van der Sijs 1997)^(WNT) Many dialects use the word for “thin, frail, weak”.^(WNT)

+

+ ''Een kleine boodschap doen'', literally to run a small errand, is a children's euphemism for passing water.^(Stoett 1923)^(Van Dale 2014) On fishing boats ''de kleine'' was a small anchor (1790).^(WNT) Danish, Norwegian and Swedish took the adjective from Dutch or Low German (Swedish ''klen'' “weak, sickly”).^(Van der Sijs 2010)^(EWN) It was also borrowed into Negerhollands (''kleen'') and Skepi Dutch, and Sranan Tongo ''klèine'' means “urine”.^(Van der Sijs 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1100 – Old Dutch ''cleyna'' “small” in the Egmond Williram.^(ONW)^(EWN)

+ * 1130 – The place name ''Cleinhurst'' in Gelderland.^(ONW)

+ * 1220–1240 – Middle Dutch ''cleine'' “slight, little”.^(EWN)^(Van Veen & Van der Sijs 1997)

+ * 1240 – A Limburg glossary renders Latin ''posticium'' with ''clene posteken'', a small back door.^(VMNW)

+ * 1287 – ''Arde cleene'' “very fine” of ground wood.^(EWN)^(VMNW)

+ * 1790 – ''De kleine'', a small anchor, in fishermen's language.^(WNT)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|small]], [[m|en|little]]: of less than average size.^(Van Dale 2014)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Young: ''van kleins af aan'', from early childhood.^(Van Dale 2014)

+ # Small in number or amount: ''een kleine groep''.^(Van Dale 2014)

+ # Unimportant, [[m|en|insignificant]], slight.^(Van Dale 2014)^(WikiWoordenboek)

+ # [[m|en|petty]], narrow-minded.^(Van Dale 2014)

+ # Before a number or amount: just under, almost: ''het kost een klein tientje''.^(Wiktionary)^(WikiWoordenboek)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[kleineren]]

+ * [[kleinigheid]]

+ * [[verkleinen]]

+ * [[kleinkind]]

+ * [[kleinzoon]]

+ * [[kleindochter]]

+ * [[kleingeld]]

+ * [[kleingeestig]]

+ * [[kleinhandel]]

+ * [[kleinkunst]]

+ * [[kleinschalig]]

+ * [[kleinburgerlijk]]

+ * [[kleinzielig]]

+ * [[piepklein]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[kleinood]]

+ * [[klei]]

+ * [[en|clean]]

+ * [[de|klein]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The proverb ''klein gemaakt is gauw geraakt'' says that short people are easily offended.^(WNT)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}