eerste Dutch · revision 37226

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈeːr.stə/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''eerste''' (not comparable)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|dum|eerste]], [[inh|odt|*ēristo]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*airist]], the superlative of an adverb [[gem-pro|*air|t=early]].^(EWN)^(Wiktionary)^(De Vries 1971) The comparative of the same adverb is [[eer]] “before”, and [[eerder]] continues the comparative adjective.^(EWN) Old Dutch had ⟨eriste⟩ as the ordinal and ⟨erist⟩ as the adverb, both formed with the superlative suffix [[m|odt|-ist]].^(EWN)^(ONW) The adverb lives on as [[eerst]], and Middle Dutch used ⟨erst⟩, ⟨ierst⟩ and ⟨eerste⟩ for both.^(EWN)^(VMNW)^(MNW)

+

+ The same superlative is [[osx|ērist]], [[goh|ērist]] (modern [[de|erst]]), [[ofs|ērost]] (modern [[fy|earst]]) and [[ang|ǣrest]] (archaic [[en|erst]], as in [[m|en|erstwhile]]).^(EWN)^(Van Veen & Van der Sijs 1997)^(De Vries 1971) The Philippa dictionary gives the Germanic superlative as [[m|gem-pro|*airista-]].^(EWN) The base adverb [[m|gem-pro|*air]] meant “early in the day”: it gave [[non|ár|t=early]] and [[got|𐌰𐌹𐍂|tr=air]], and it is related to [[grc|ἦρι|tr=êri|t=early]] and [[ae|ayarə|t=day]].^(EWN)^(De Vries 1971) The Philippa dictionary takes these probably from [[ine-pro|*h₂eier-|t=day, morning]], which may belong to a root [[m|ine-pro|*h₂ei-|t=to burn, shine]].^(EWN)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ordinal is first recorded in the Egmond Williram of about 1100, which speaks of ''thiu erestan ęcclesiam'', the first church planted in Jerusalem, and of ''that eriste uers'', the first verse.^(ONW)^(EWN)^(Van der Sijs 2001) Middle Dutch ''ierste'' “first” appears in 1276–1300 and ''erste'' in 1290.^(EWN)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Middle Dutch used the word in many set phrases: ''dat eerste'' “the first time” (1301), ''in den eersten'' “in the first place” (1339) and ''metten eersten'' “as soon as possible” (1461).^(MNW) In charters of the 1290s ''erst comende'' meant “next”, of a feast day still to come.^(VMNW) The derivative ''eersteling'' meant the first produce of the year in the early 17th century and a firstborn child in the early 19th.^(EWN)

+

+ Besides “first in a series” the modern word means “most important”, as in ''de eerste burger'', the mayor, and in the name of the ''Eerste Kamer'', the Dutch senate.^(Van Dale 2014)^(WikiWoordenboek) Dutch speakers took the ordinal to Negerhollands (''eerste'', ''ērstǝ''), Berbice Dutch (''esti'') and Javindo, and in Gimán ''erste'' became the name of a children's game of marbles.^(Van der Sijs 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1100 – Old Dutch ''eriste'' and ''erestan'' “first” in the Egmond Williram.^(ONW)^(EWN)

+ * 1276–1300 – Middle Dutch ''ierste'' “first”.^(EWN)

+ * 1290 – The form ''erste''.^(EWN)

+ * 1339 – ''In den eersten'' “in the first place”.^(MNW)

+ * 1461 – ''Metten eersten'' “as soon as possible”.^(MNW)

+ * early 17th century – ''Eersteling'' “first fruits” is recorded.^(EWN)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Numeral===

+ # [[m|en|first]]: coming before all others in order, time or place: ''de eerste bus van de ochtend''.^(Van Dale 2014)^(Wiktionary)^(WikiWoordenboek)

+ # Foremost, most important: ''de eerste burger'', the [[burgemeester]].^(Van Dale 2014)^(WikiWoordenboek)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # The first one, the person or thing that comes first: ''zij was de eerste die het merkte''.^(WikiWoordenboek)^(Van Dale 2014)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[eersteling]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[eerst]]

+ * [[eer]]

+ * [[eerder]]

+ * [[en|erst]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''De eerste de beste'' is anyone at all, the first who comes along, and ''niet de eerste de beste'' someone of importance.^(Van Dale 2014) The ordinal is abbreviated as ''1e'' or ''1ste''.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}