blij Dutch · revision 37285

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1152, Old Dutch (place name)|origins=gem-pro *blīþiz}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /blɛi̯/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''blij''' (comparative blijer, superlative blijst)^(Wiktionary)

+ The older form ''blijde'' is still used in set phrases and formal language.^(Wiktionary)^(WNT)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|dum|blide]], [[inh|odt|*blīthi]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*blīþī]], [[inh|gem-pro|*blīþiz|alt=*blīþi-]].^(EWN)^(Wiktionary)^(Kroonen 2013) The modern form lost the ⟨d⟩ between vowels, a regular change, and the older ⟨blijde⟩ survives beside it.^(Wiktionary)^(WNT) Old Dutch also had the verb [[m|odt|blīthan|t=to rejoice]].^(EWN)^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912) The same word is [[osx|blīthi|t=bright, cheerful]], [[goh|blīdi|t=cheerful, friendly]], [[ofs|blīthe]] (modern [[fy|bliid]]), [[ang|blīþe|t=cheerful, friendly]] (modern [[en|blithe]]), [[non|blíðr|t=gentle, friendly]] (modern [[sv|blid]]) and [[got|𐌱𐌻𐌴𐌹𐌸𐍃|tr=bleiþs|t=merciful]].^(EWN)^(Kroonen 2013)^(Van Veen & Van der Sijs 1997) In the oldest records the word means “gracious, friendly, bright”, but “glad” is also found early.^(EWN)

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+ The adjective exists only in Germanic, and its origin is uncertain.^(EWN)^(Kroonen 2013) The Philippa dictionary takes it perhaps from a verbal stem [[m|gem-pro|*blī-|t=to shine]], and Van Haeringen likewise links it with [[blei]], taking “bright” as the oldest sense.^(EWN)^(Van Haeringen 1936) Kroonen calls this possible but uncertain.^(Kroonen 2013) A connection with [[ine-pro|*mélit|t=honey]], the source of [[got|𐌼𐌹𐌻𐌹𐌸|tr=miliþ]] and [[la|mel]], has been proposed, with a development from “sweet” to “glad”, but the Philippa dictionary finds it unlikely and notes that it does not explain the long ⟨ī⟩.^(EWN)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The adjective is first found in place names: ''Blidenstat'', now Blijdenstein in Drenthe, in 1152, and ''Blide'', a stream near Axel in Zeeland, in 1164.^(EWN)^(ONW)^(Van der Sijs 2001) Middle Dutch ''blide'' appears about 1240 in a Limburg glossary, where it renders Latin ''laetus'' and ''hilaris'', “glad, cheerful”.^(EWN)^(VMNW)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Middle Dutch ''blide'' meant cheerful and merry, but also bright and shining, of the weather (1390), and blessed, of the dead who are with God (1339).^(MNW) The 13th-century texts often pair it with ''vro'' in ''vro ende blide'', “glad and happy”.^(VMNW) The Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal also records it for the vigour of nature, as in ''blije bloempjens'' (1605), and many compounds such as ''blijspel'' “comedy” and ''blijmoedig'' “cheerful”.^(WNT)

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+ ''De blijde boodschap'' is the gospel and ''een blijde gebeurtenis'' the birth of a child.^(Van Dale 2014) The ''Blijde Inkomst'' was the solemn entry of a ruler into a city, and the charter of privileges granted at it.^(Van Dale 2014) ''Iemand blij maken met een dode mus'' is to delight someone with something worthless; the phrase goes back to an 18th-century saying about rejoicing over a dead sparrow.^(Van Dale 2014)^(Stoett 1923)

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+ Dutch passed the word to German dialects (''blide'', ''blied''), Negerhollands and Berbice Dutch (''bli''), and to French dialect ''blit'' “weakling”.^(Van der Sijs 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 10th century – Old Dutch ''blīthan'' “to rejoice” in the Wachtendonck Psalms.^(EWN)

+ * 1152 – The place name ''Blidenstat''.^(EWN)^(Van der Sijs 2001)

+ * c. 1240 – Middle Dutch ''blide'' glosses Latin ''laetus''.^(EWN)^(VMNW)

+ * 1390 – ''Blide'' “bright”, of the weather.^(MNW)

+ * 1605 – ''Blije bloempjens'', of flowers full of life.^(WNT)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|happy]], [[m|en|glad]], in a cheerful mood: ''de kinderen waren blij met de sneeuw''.^(Van Dale 2014)^(ANW)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Pleased about something; also relieved: ''ik ben blij dat je veilig thuis bent''.^(ANW)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Joyful, bringing joy: ''blij nieuws''.^(Van Dale 2014)^(ANW)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[blijdschap]]

+ * [[blijheid]]

+ * [[dolblij]]

+ * [[verblijden]]

+ * [[blijmoedig]]

+ * [[blijspel]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[blei]]

+ * [[en|blithe]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ An archaic noun ''blij'' “lead (metal)” is a separate word, Middle Dutch ''bli'' (1287), related to German [[m|de|Blei]]; it was already obsolete in 1903.^(VMNW)^(WNT)^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}