# Dutch: Gesp



## Maroseika

What is ge- in this word - prefix or stem part?
Is -s- a part of the stem or a protetic consonant?
Is "gesp" therefore accociated with _gespannen _or _pen _or something else?


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## Joannes

*Gesp* is the stem. If if, it could possibly be connected to *gapen* 'to yawn'.


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## Maroseika

I understand that Dutch _gapen _is connected with English _gaper _and _gap_. But how _gesp _- buckle, clasp can be connected with _gapen _- to yawn?


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## Frank06

Hi,



Maroseika said:


> I understand that Dutch _gapen _is connected with English _gaper _and _gap_. But how _gesp _- buckle, clasp can be connected with _gapen _- to yawn?


Dutch _gapen_ also means 'to be wide open' (e.g. een gapende wonde, an open wound). Middle English had _gaispen_, _gaspen_ (modern English _gasp_), 'to be wide open'.

Groetjes,

Frank


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## Maroseika

OK, this is clear. But how could the sense "widely opened" come to a "buckle"? 
Maybe somebody would kindly reaaddress me to an etymological Dutch dictionary?


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## Joannes

http://www.etymologie.nl/ - but you have to pay for it - sometimes you can get free links to it in the WNT (http://wnt.inl.nl)

Apparently de Vries is available with Google Books (type "Nederlands etymologisch woordenboek + Jan de Vries") - possibly not all pages but I got to see the *gesp* entry anyway..


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## Maroseika

Many thanks to everybody.
However one more question: as far as I could conclude from the _Nederlands etymologisch woordenboek _the logic of "gesp"is that a buckle - round ring shaped - resembles an agaped mouth.
Am I right?


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## Frank06

Hi,


Maroseika said:


> Many thanks to everybody.
> However one more question: as far as I could conclude from the _Nederlands etymologisch woordenboek _the logic of "gesp"is that a buckle - round ring shaped - resembles an agaped mouth.
> Am I right?


As far as I understand the very concise information in the various etymological dictionaries, it has nothing to do with the _shape_ of a buckle, but rather with its function, viz. to close things that are in one or another way open otherwise.

1. de gesp is dus een haak voor wat openstaat (Van Dale).
Literally: 'gesp' is hence a hook for what's open (> +/- to close what's open).
2. Ofschoon de oudste bet[ekenis] dan kan zijn 'iets dat openstaat', leidt het woord _gaps _toch eerder tot 'wat men tussen iets kan vasthouden' (De Vries, same idea in Franck, Van Wijck en Van Haringen).
I need some help with a more precise English translation here . 
It boils down to this: the word could have originally referred to something that's open, but later it was used for a device that closes the gap.

Groetjes,

Frank


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## origumi

Is it possible that "gesp" is a cognate of "hiatus"?

Gape Etymology: ME _gapen_ < ON _gapa_ < IE *_ghēp-_ < IE *_ghēp-_ < base *_ghe-_, to yawn, gape > gab, Gr _chasma_, abyss, L _hiatus_

Hiatus Etymology: L, pp. of _hiare_, to gape < IE base *_ĝhē-, ĝhēi-_ > gap, gasp

http://www.yourdictionary.com/hiatus
http://www.yourdictionary.com/gape


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## Maroseika

It really looks like. Also thank you for the new (for me) etymological resource. The only thing a bit embarassing me is that etymonline calls this word - gape - "of unknown origin, while yourdictionary positively suggests IE stem to nearly any word. And no information about the soruces. A bit shady...
Does anybody know anything about the authors and sources of this resource?



Frank06 said:


> Hi,
> 
> It boils down to this: the word could have originally referred to something that's open, but later it was used for a device that closes the gap.
> 
> Groetjes,
> 
> Frank


Thank you for clarification, Frank. Now it's quite logical.


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## Maroseika

Accoridng to Max Vasmer "gesp/gapen" may be connected, on one hand, with Polish _gар_ "gaper", _gapić się_ "to stare, to gape at" and on the other hand, with Pol. _heftlik_ < Ger. _Haftel < Haft -_ buckle, clasper.


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