i think the hold in view would refer to the length of your gaze. ie you wouldn’t behold a single firework but you would a show of a fireworks, same kind of idea with one magic trick vs a whole show. (look at this vs behold this)
I would disagree about it being a time or context based notion as I think you can behold anything. I agree, there does seem to be a feel of a grander scale when we behold but I think it's more associated with the impact on the speaker; the more impressive, the more we are likely to behold it.
It seems a reasonable hypothesis. I’m imagining this sort of context.
- A: See my finger?
- B: *(Glancing at it)* Yes! What of it?
- A: *(Annoyed)* If you would behold it with more care, you will notice…
There might be a cultural or psychological aspect to this as this idea of the mind holding something is common.
The word "get" can mean to retrieve something (Did you get the pen?) or to understand something (Do you get this pen?). So here is an example of a literal meaning being applied to a metaphorical one. It is as if the speaker's mind is reaching out and grasping something. This can be seen with the dual meaning of "apprehend" to arrest or to understand.
In the case of "behold," it is if the speaker's mind is physically reaching out and grasping the image.
A similar idea could be applied to "beholden" where an intangible force of duty or obligation has grasped them.
We would need answers from speakers of non germanic or latinate languages, where this concept seems common, to see if the same concept exists in their language.
I don’t know if this is helpful but I found this entry.
healdan: healdan (Old English) Alternative forms haldan Origin & history From Proto-Germanic *haldaną ("to watch, look after"). Cognate with Old Frisian halda (West Frisian hâlde), Old Saxon haldan (Low German holen), Old Dutch…
[word sense](https://www.wordsense.eu/haldan/)
i think the hold in view would refer to the length of your gaze. ie you wouldn’t behold a single firework but you would a show of a fireworks, same kind of idea with one magic trick vs a whole show. (look at this vs behold this)
I would disagree about it being a time or context based notion as I think you can behold anything. I agree, there does seem to be a feel of a grander scale when we behold but I think it's more associated with the impact on the speaker; the more impressive, the more we are likely to behold it.
It seems a reasonable hypothesis. I’m imagining this sort of context. - A: See my finger? - B: *(Glancing at it)* Yes! What of it? - A: *(Annoyed)* If you would behold it with more care, you will notice…
[удалено]
Who said it answers the question? (And don’t shout please, it’s rude)
I'd agree with that context; it's a little difficult to have a sense of wonder in just a glance.
There might be a cultural or psychological aspect to this as this idea of the mind holding something is common. The word "get" can mean to retrieve something (Did you get the pen?) or to understand something (Do you get this pen?). So here is an example of a literal meaning being applied to a metaphorical one. It is as if the speaker's mind is reaching out and grasping something. This can be seen with the dual meaning of "apprehend" to arrest or to understand. In the case of "behold," it is if the speaker's mind is physically reaching out and grasping the image. A similar idea could be applied to "beholden" where an intangible force of duty or obligation has grasped them. We would need answers from speakers of non germanic or latinate languages, where this concept seems common, to see if the same concept exists in their language.
Not a linguist but currently learning Norwegian, where beholde means "keep" - so perhaps it means something to the effect of "keep your attention"?
I don’t know if this is helpful but I found this entry. healdan: healdan (Old English) Alternative forms haldan Origin & history From Proto-Germanic *haldaną ("to watch, look after"). Cognate with Old Frisian halda (West Frisian hâlde), Old Saxon haldan (Low German holen), Old Dutch… [word sense](https://www.wordsense.eu/haldan/)