eigen Dutch · revision 37316

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=951, Old Dutch (as a noun, in a gloss)|origins=gem-pro *aiganaz}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈɛi̯ɣə(n)/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''eigen''' (comparative eigener, superlative eigenst)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|dum|eighen]], [[inh|odt|*eigan]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*aigan]], [[inh|gem-pro|*aiganaz|t=own]].^(Wiktionary)^(EWN) The adjective was probably at first the past participle of a preterite-present verb [[gem-pro|*aiganą|t=to own, possess]], so that it meant “had, owned”.^(EWN)^(De Vries 1971)^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912)^(MNW) The same adjective is [[osx|ēgan]], [[goh|eigan]] (modern [[de|eigen]]), [[ofs|ēgen]], [[ang|āgen]] (modern [[en|own]]) and [[non|eiginn]], and [[got|𐌰𐌹𐌲𐌹𐌽|tr=aigin]] is a noun, “property”.^(EWN)^(De Vries 1971)

+

+ The verb survives in Middle Dutch [[m|dum|eigen|t=to have to have, receive]]; related are [[ang|āgan]], whose descendants are [[m|en|owe]] and [[m|en|ought]], [[m|non|eiga]] and [[m|got|𐌰𐌹𐌲𐌰𐌽|tr=aigan]], all “to have, possess”.^(EWN)^(De Vries 1971)^(Van Veen & Van der Sijs 1997) Outside Germanic it is probably related to [[sa|ईशे|tr=ī́śe|t=owns, rules]] and Tocharian B ⟨aik-⟩ “to know”, from [[ine-pro|*h₂eyḱ-|t=to own, be able]].^(EWN)^(De Vries 1971)^(Wiktionary) Vercoullie rejects a link with [[grc|ἔχω|tr=ékhō|t=to have]].^(Vercoullie 1925)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The oldest record is a noun: an Old Dutch gloss of 951 renders Latin ''praedia'' “estates” with ''egan'' “property”.^(ONW)^(EWN) The adjective “of the subject itself” is first dated about 1100, in the Egmond Williram,^(Van der Sijs 2001) and Middle Dutch ''eighin'' as an adjective follows in 1268.^(EWN)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Middle Dutch ''eigen'' served as verb, adjective and noun, and many of its senses passed to newer words.^(EWN) The adjective also meant “unfree, belonging to a master”, a sense taken over by the compound ''lijfeigen'' (1573), later ''lijfeigene''.^(EWN)^(De Vries 1971) The verb meant “to have to have, receive” and, with ''te'' and an infinitive, “ought to”, like English ''ought''; only ''zich toe-eigenen'' remains, and the adverb [[eigenlijk]] covers much of the old verb's load.^(EWN)^(WNT) The noun ''eigen'' “property” (1236) gave way to [[eigendom]], and the sense “owner” (1460–1514) to [[eigenaar]].^(EWN)^(VMNW)

+

+ From the 16th century the Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal records ''eigen goed'' “freehold property” (1520), ''eigen huis'' (1648), ''zijn eigen dood sterven'' “to die a natural death” (1602) and ''zijn eigen man zijn'' “to be one's own master” (1682).^(WNT) As a reflexive pronoun, ''zijn eigen'' “himself”, the word is dated 1624–1625; it is now colloquial and especially southern.^(Van der Sijs 2001)^(EWN)^(Wiktionary) The potato variety ''eigenheimer'' was bred and named in 1890 by the Groningen grower Geert Veenhuizen, as grown on his own farm.^(De Vries & De Tollenaere 2004|118)

+

+ The adjective was borrowed into Sranan Tongo (''eigi''), Saramaccan, Negerhollands and Berbice Dutch, and through Afrikaans into South African English ''own'' “characteristic, local”.^(Van der Sijs 2010)^(Wiktionary) Afrikaans has [[m|af|eie]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 951 – Old Dutch ''egan'' “property” in a gloss.^(ONW)^(EWN)

+ * c. 1100 – The adjective in the Egmond Williram.^(Van der Sijs 2001)

+ * 1236 – Middle Dutch ''eighen'' “property”.^(EWN)

+ * 1240 – ''Eigenmaken'' “to appropriate” in the Bernardus glossary.^(EWN)

+ * 1268 – Middle Dutch ''eighin'' as an adjective.^(EWN)

+ * 1520 – ''Eyghen goeden'' “freehold property”.^(WNT)

+ * 1573 – ''Lijfeygen'' “serf”.^(EWN)

+ * 1624–1625 – ''Zijn eigen'' as a reflexive pronoun.^(Van der Sijs 2001)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|own]], belonging to or coming from oneself, not shared: ''Ze heeft nu een eigen kamer.''^(Van Dale 2014)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|characteristic]], typical of someone or something: ''Die humor is hem eigen.''^(Van Dale 2014)^(Wiktionary)^(WikiWoordenboek)

+ # [[vertrouwd|alt=Familiar]], intimate: ''Ze voelde zich daar snel eigen.''^(Van Dale 2014)

+

+ ===Pronoun===

+ # ''(colloquial, with a possessive, especially in the south)'' -self, as a reflexive pronoun: ''Hij heeft zijn eigen bezeerd.''^(Van Dale 2014)^(EWN)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[eigenaar]]

+ * [[eigendom]]

+ * [[eigenlijk]]

+ * [[eigenschap]]

+ * [[eigenaardig]]

+ * [[eigengereid]]

+ * [[eigenwijs]]

+ * [[eigenzinnig]]

+ * [[eigennaam]]

+ * [[lijfeigen]]

+ * [[toe-eigenen]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[vracht]]

+ * [[en|own]]

+ * [[de|eigen]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Eigen baas zijn'' is to be independent, ''in eigen beheer'' means without third parties, and ''zich iets eigen maken'' is to learn or master something.^(Van Dale 2014) ''Er is meer gelijk dan eigen'', “likeness is no proof of identity”, is already in Bredero in the 17th century.^(Stoett 1923)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}