bang Dutch · revision 37273

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 1350, Middle Dutch|origins=gem-pro *anguz}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /bɑŋ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''bang''' (comparative banger, superlative bangst)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|dum|banghe]], formed from [[m|dum|be-]] and the adverb [[m|dum|anghe|t=narrowly, oppressively]], so originally “in a cramped way”.^(EWN)^(De Vries 1971)^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912) ⟨Anghe⟩ was the adverb of the adjective [[eng]] “narrow”; it had no umlaut, unlike the adjective.^(EWN)^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912) Franck–Van Wijk explain the new form by phrases such as ⟨het doet hem anghe⟩ “it oppresses him”, in which the isolated adverb was replaced by ⟨be anghe⟩.^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912) The same formation is [[gml|bange]] and [[gmh|bange]] (modern [[de|bang]]), oldest in Central and Low German, and [[fy|bang]].^(EWN)^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912) The base goes back to [[gem-pro|*anguz|t=narrow]], the source also of [[angst]].^(EWN)^(Wiktionary)

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+ The Zaan dialect still had the simple ⟨ang⟩ “afraid”, as Frisian has ⟨eang⟩.^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Middle Dutch ''banghe'' is recorded about 1350, meaning “dreadful, frightening”, and only as an adverb in impersonal phrases such as ''het doet hem bange'' “it distresses him” and ''het gaet bange'' “things go badly”.^(EWN)^(MNW)^(Van der Sijs 2001) A Holland text of about 1470 says that love made him ''wee ende banghe'' “pain and anguish”.^(MNW)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The meaning moved from “oppressive, cramped” through “oppressed and therefore anxious” to “afraid”.^(EWN) The early modern phrases ''mij is bange'' “I feel anxious” and ''iets valt mij bang'' “something weighs on me” show the word on its way to an adjective, still predicative.^(WNT) By 1642–1650 ''bang'' is used of people as “anxious, afraid” and of things as “too tight, cramped”, and in Zeeland and Flanders ''het is bang'' could mean “the air is close”.^(EWN)^(WNT)

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+ Comparisons for great fear are old: ''zo bang als een wezel'' “as scared as a weasel” and ''als de dood zijn voor'' “to be terrified of”.^(Stoett 1923) Van der Sijs derives [[da|bange]] and [[no|bange]] from Dutch or Low German;^(Van der Sijs 2010)^(Wiktionary) South African English has ''bang'' “afraid”, Afrikaans has [[m|af|bang]], and the word also went into Negerhollands and Berbice Dutch.^(Van der Sijs 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1350 – Middle Dutch ''banghe'' “frightening” is first recorded.^(EWN)^(Van der Sijs 2001)

+ * c. 1480 – The adverb ''bangelic'' “oppressively”.^(EWN)

+ * 1642 – ''Bang'' “oppressed and anxious”.^(EWN)

+ * 1650 – ''Bang'' “afraid”.^(EWN)

+ * 1933 – The noun ''bang'' “fear” in ''bang hebben''.^(WNT)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|afraid]], [[m|en|scared]]: ''ze is bang voor honden'', she is afraid of dogs.^(Van Dale 2014)^(ANW)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Worried, [[m|en|anxious]] that something may happen: ''ik ben bang dat het gaat regenen'', I'm afraid it will rain.^(ANW)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Timid, fearful by nature.^(Van Dale 2014)^(ANW)

+ # Frightening, causing fear: ''een bange nacht'', a night of fear.^(Van Dale 2014)^(ANW)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[bangbroek]]

+ * [[bangelijk]]

+ * [[bangerik]]

+ * [[bangheid]]

+ * [[bangig]]

+ * [[bangmakerij]]

+ * [[doodsbang]]

+ * [[bangerd]]

+ * [[bangebroek]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[angst]]

+ * [[eng]]

+ * [[engte]]

+ * [[de|bang]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Ik ben bang dat …'' in the sense “I'm sorry to say that …” is a loan translation of English ''I'm afraid that''.^(Van der Sijs 2005) A separate word ''bang!'', imitating the sound of a hard blow or a shot, is recorded from 1844; it is imitative, like English [[m|en|bang]], and Van der Sijs gives it as a loan from English.^(EWN)^(Van der Sijs 2001) The regional noun ''bang'' “fear”, as in ''bang hebben'', grew out of the adjective.^(WNT)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}