fijn Dutch · revision 37432

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1260–1270, Middle Dutch|origins=la fīnis}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /fɛi̯n/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''fijn''' (comparative fijner, superlative fijnst)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|dum|fijn]], [[bor|fro|fin|t=perfect, pure]], a word said mostly of precious metals.^(EWN)^(Wiktionary)^(De Vries 1971) That adjective comes from [[la|fīnis|t=end, limit]], in the sense “at the far end, outstanding”, and matches the Medieval Latin [[m|la-med|fīnus|t=refined]];^(EWN)^(De Vries & De Tollenaere 2004|126)^(Van Veen & Van der Sijs 1997) De Vries and De Tollenaere explain it from the Latin noun used for “the best”, and the Dutch phrase with [[einde]] meaning “that is the best” shows a similar shift.^(EWN)^(De Vries & De Tollenaere 2004|126)^(Van Veen & Van der Sijs 1997) Franck and Van Wijk derive it from a Late Latin form beside [[m|la|fīnītus|t=finished, perfect]].^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912)

+

+ Dutch took over some later French senses: “cunning” and “clever”, now obsolete in Dutch, and “very small”, “slender”.^(EWN) It was also borrowed as [[de|fein]], [[en|fine]] and [[sv|fin]].^(EWN)^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The adjective is first found in Brabant texts of 1260–1280: a knight is called ''fin'' “noble, perfect” in Boeve van Hamtone, and a lady ''edel vrouwe fijn'' in the Nibelungen fragment.^(EWN)^(VMNW) Van der Sijs dates it to 1265–1270, in the Life of Lutgart, with the sense “glorified”.^(Van der Sijs 2001)^(Van Veen & Van der Sijs 1997)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Middle Dutch ''fijn'' meant “excellent, pure, beautiful, upright, pious”, and as an adverb “pure”, “clean” and “small”.^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912)^(VMNW) The sense “pure, unmixed” was long used of gold and silver: a coin of 1520 contains eighteen carats of fine gold.^(WNT)^(EWN) Kiliaan in 1599 has “thin, not coarse”, and the sense “made of tiny particles” is quoted from 1736.^(EWN)

+

+ The commonest modern sense, “pleasant, nice”, hardly exists in French and grew up in Dutch from the old “perfect, pure”; a 16th-century text already invites someone to come and eat ''fijn''.^(EWN) German, English and Swedish took a similar path with their own borrowings.^(EWN) From 1656 ''fyne broederen'' were strictly religious brethren, and ''fijn'' still means “strictly orthodox” in informal Dutch.^(EWN)^(Van Dale 2014)

+

+ The word travelled with Dutch: West Frisian, Negerhollands (''fien''), Berbice Dutch and Papiamentu (''fini''), and Sranan Tongo (''feni'', “thin, slender”), from which it reached Saramaccan and Surinamese Javanese.^(Van der Sijs 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1260–1270 – ''Fin'' “noble, perfect” in Boeve van Hamtone.^(EWN)

+ * 1265–1270 – The Life of Lutgart uses the adjective.^(Van der Sijs 2001)^(Van Veen & Van der Sijs 1997)

+ * 1285 – ''Fijn'' as an adverb, “pure”, in a West Flemish text.^(VMNW)

+ * 1520 – Coins of eighteen carats of fine gold.^(WNT)^(EWN)

+ * 1599 – Kiliaan gives “thin, not coarse”.^(EWN)

+ * 1616 – The sense “cunning” is recorded.^(EWN)

+ * 1656 – ''Fyne broederen'', strictly pious brethren.^(EWN)

+ * 1736 – “Consisting of small particles” is first quoted.^(EWN)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|nice]], [[m|en|pleasant]], enjoyable: ''Wat fijn dat je er bent!''^(Van Dale 2014)^(Wiktionary)^(WikiWoordenboek)

+ # Consisting of small particles: ''fijn zand''.^(Van Dale 2014)^(WikiWoordenboek)

+ # Of very good quality, refined.^(Van Dale 2014)

+ # Of fabric or clothing, made of [[m|en|delicate]] material.^(Van Dale 2014)

+ # Pure, unmixed, especially of gold and silver.^(Van Dale 2014)^(WNT)

+ # [[m|en|thin]], slender: ''een fijne draad''.^(Van Dale 2014)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|subtle]], precise: ''een fijn gevoel voor humor''.^(Van Dale 2014)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(informal)'' Strictly orthodox in religion.^(Van Dale 2014)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[fijnzinnig]]

+ * [[fijnheid]]

+ * [[fijnmazig]]

+ * [[fijnstraal]]

+ * [[fijntjes]]

+ * [[haarfijn]]

+ * [[ragfijn]]

+ * [[verfijnen]]

+ * [[fijnte]]

+ * [[fijngevoelig]]

+ * [[fijnproever]]

+ * [[fijnschilder]]

+ * [[fijnvoelend]]

+ * [[finesse]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en|fine]]

+ * [[de|fein]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Zo fijn als gemalen poppenstront'' is an informal phrase for someone of rigidly Reformed belief.^(Van Dale 2014) Middle Dutch also had a noun ''fijn'' “end”, borrowed from Old French ''fin'', which survives in official phrases such as ''ter fine van advies''.^(VMNW)^(WNT)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}