vrij Dutch · revision 37292

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=8th century, Old Dutch (Lex Salica)|origins=ine-pro *priHós}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /vrɛi̯/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''vrij''' (comparative vrijer, superlative vrijst)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|dum|vrî]], [[inh|odt|frī]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*frī]], [[inh|gem-pro|*frijaz|t=free|alt=*frija-]].^(EWN)^(Wiktionary)^(Kroonen 2013) The same word is [[osx|frī]], [[goh|frī]] (modern [[de|frei]]), [[ofs|frī]], [[ang|frēo]] (modern [[en|free]]) and [[got|𐍆𐍂𐌴𐌹𐍃|tr=freis]];^(EWN)^(De Vries 1971)^(Kroonen 2013) [[sv|fri]] was borrowed from Middle Low German.^(EWN)^(De Vries 1971)^(Kroonen 2013) An old compound with “neck” is found across the family: [[got|𐍆𐍂𐌴𐌹𐌷𐌰𐌻𐍃|tr=freihals|t=freedom]], [[non|frjáls|t=free]], [[goh|frīhals|t=a free man]].^(De Vries 1971)^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912)^(Kroonen 2013)

+

+ The word continues [[ine-pro|*priHós|t=dear, beloved]], from the root [[m|ine-pro|*preyH-|t=to love]], the source of [[sa|प्रिय|tr=priyá|t=dear, beloved]] and of the Sanskrit verb for “to love”.^(EWN)^(Wiktionary) In Celtic the same adjective also came to mean “free”: [[cy|rhydd]] and [[obt|rid]].^(EWN)^(De Vries 1971) The Germanic sense “free” grew out of “dear, one's own”: the free were the members of one's own kin, as opposed to the unfree.^(De Vries & De Tollenaere 2004|421)^(Kroonen 2013)^(Van Veen & Van der Sijs 1997) The older meaning shows in [[vriend]], [[vrijen]], [[vrede]] and the goddess name behind [[vrijdag]].^(EWN)^(WNT)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old Dutch ''frī'' “free, unbound” occurs in compounds and names from the 8th century, perhaps already in the Malberg glosses of the Lex Salica, where ''maltho thi afrio'' means “I tell you: I set you free”.^(EWN)^(Van der Sijs 2001) As a word on its own it glosses Latin ''liber'' in 801.^(ONW) In Middle Dutch ''vri'' is first found in Ghent in 1237: ''ende dus sal hi wesen uri'', “and so he shall be free”.^(EWN)^(VMNW)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Middle Dutch ''vri'' named a social rank: free-born, as opposed to serfs and bondsmen, and so it came close to “noble”, used also as an honorific of Christ and of high-born women.^(MNW)^(VMNW) From “free” it widened to “unhindered”, “exempt from dues or tolls” and “without obligations”, and Middle Dutch also used it as an adverb meaning “truly, certainly”.^(VMNW)^(MNW)^(Van Sterkenburg 2001) The noun ''dat Vrije'' was the name of the district around Bruges, the Franc de Bruges.^(MNW)

+

+ In early modern Dutch the colonial sense “not a slave” and “not in the Company's service” appears (1620), as in ''vrije luyden''.^(WNT) ''Vrij'' also took the meanings “at leisure, not working” and “free of charge”, and as an adverb it came to mean “rather, fairly”.^(Van Dale 2014)^(WikiWoordenboek) The pairing ''vrij en vrank'' (now ''frank en vrij'') goes back to the 16th century.^(Stoett 1923) In Amsterdam Jewish speech ''vrij'' meant “not religious, not observant”.^(Beem 1974)^(Van de Kamp 2006)

+

+ Dutch ''vrij'' was borrowed widely in the East Indies: [[m|id|perai]] and Javanese [[m|jv|prèi]] mean “free, on holiday”.^(Van der Sijs 2010)^(Wiktionary) Afrikaans has [[m|af|vry]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 8th century – ''Frī'' in the Malberg glosses of the Lex Salica.^(EWN)^(Van der Sijs 2001)

+ * 801 – Old Dutch ''fri'' glosses Latin ''liber''.^(ONW)

+ * 1237 – Middle Dutch ''vri'' “free” in Ghent.^(EWN)^(VMNW)

+ * 1336 – ''Den Vriën'', the district of Bruges, is named.^(MNW)

+ * 1620 – ''Vrye luyden'', colonists not in the Company's service.^(WNT)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|free]]: not imprisoned, enslaved or occupied, able to do as one likes.^(Van Dale 2014)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Not restricted, bound or hindered: ''De weg is weer vrij.''^(Van Dale 2014)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Available, not taken: ''Is deze stoel vrij?''^(Van Dale 2014)^(WikiWoordenboek)

+ # Not working or at school, off duty: ''Morgen ben ik vrij.''^(Van Dale 2014)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Free of charge.^(Van Dale 2014)^(WikiWoordenboek)

+ # Not under a particular authority or regulation: ''vrije handel''.^(Van Dale 2014)

+ # Frank, bold: ''mag ik zo vrij zijn'', may I take the liberty.^(Van Dale 2014)

+ # ''(Belgium, of education)'' Not run by the state, private (mostly Catholic).^(Van Dale 2014)

+ # ''(as a suffix)'' Without, free from: ''alcoholvrij'', ''roestvrij''.^(WikiWoordenboek)^(WNT)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # [[m|en|rather]], fairly: ''Het was vrij koud.''^(WikiWoordenboek)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Freely, without hindrance.^(WikiWoordenboek)^(VMNW)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[vrijheid]]

+ * [[vrijen]]

+ * [[vrijelijk]]

+ * [[vrijmaken]]

+ * [[vrijhouden]]

+ * [[vrijwaren]]

+ * [[vrijhaven]]

+ * [[vrijhandel]]

+ * [[vrijstaat]]

+ * [[vrijmetselaar]]

+ * [[vrijmoedig]]

+ * [[vrijpostig]]

+ * [[vrijblijvend]]

+ * [[gastvrij]]

+ * [[vogelvrij]]

+ * [[bevrijden]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[vriend]]

+ * [[vrede]]

+ * [[vrijdag]]

+ * [[en|free]]

+ * [[de|frei]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}