Hoffnung
Pronunciation
- /ˈhɔfnʊŋ/[1]
Forms
Hoffnung f (genitive Hoffnung, plural Hoffnungen)[1]
Etymology
It is inherited from Middle High German hoffenunge, a derivative from Middle High German hoffen + -unge, the verb hoffen with the suffix -ung.[2][3][4] The Grimms consider the rarer Middle High German hoffung, which matches Middle Low German hopinge, the more regular formation.[5]
The verb is recorded from the 12th century and goes back to Proto-West Germanic *hopōn, also found in Old English hopian (9th century), the source of English hope, in hōpen and in Dutch hopen.[6][2][1] It spread from the north: Pfeifer suggests it may have come to the continent with the Anglo-Saxon mission, and it replaced Old High German thingen (“to hope”), Middle High German gedingen.[2][7][1]
Its origin is unclear.[2] Kluge connects it with Ancient Greek κύπτω (kúptō, “I stoop, bend forward”) and the root Proto-Indo-European *keu- (“to bend”): one leans forward to see further, and so looks into the future; the hunters' verhoffen, of game stopping to watch, and the sense “to fear” in Old Low German glosses would fit this.[6] Pfeifer and Duden think instead of hüpfen, “jumping up with expectation”, but find that link doubtful.[2][3]
Earliest recorded meaning
In Middle High German the word was still regional: Berthold of Regensburg explains that the virtue is called gedinge in some places, hoffenunge in others and zuversicht in others, spes in Latin.[5]
Semantic evolution
In New High German the word became general, helped by Luther's Bible, with glaube, hoffnung, liebe, diese drei (1 Corinthians 13:13) and hoffnung aber leszt nicht zu schanden werden (“hope maketh not ashamed”, Romans 5:5).[5] Besides the expectation of something good it could mean a claim to something, or the person or thing in which one's hopes rest.[5][8]
Guter Hoffnung sein “to be pregnant” is recorded by Adelung in 1793; it is now dated.[9][8]
Timeline
- 9th century – Old English hopian “to hope” is recorded.[2]
- 12th century – The verb hoffen appears in Middle High German.[6]
- 1793 – Adelung records guter Hoffnung seyn “to be pregnant”.[9]
Meanings
Noun
- hope, confidence in what the future will bring: Sie gab die Hoffnung nicht auf.[8][1]
- An expectation placed in someone or something: Er macht sich große Hoffnungen auf den Preis.[8][1]
- A person in whom great expectations are placed: Sie gilt als die große Hoffnung des Vereins.[8][1]
Word family
- hoffnungslos
- hoffnungsvoll
- Hoffnungsschimmer
- Hoffnungsstrahl
- Hoffnungsträger
Related words
Usage notes
Guter Hoffnung sein or in der Hoffnung sein is a dated euphemism for being pregnant.[8] Die Hoffnung stirbt zuletzt “hope dies last” is a common saying.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
- ^ a b c d e f Pfeifer, Wolfgang, et al. (1993), Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Deutschen, 2nd ed., Berlin: Akademie-Verlag; digital revised version in the DWDS, dwds.de
- ^ a b Duden. Das Herkunftswörterbuch: Etymologie der deutschen Sprache (2020), 6th ed., Duden vol. 7, Berlin: Dudenverlag, p. 374
- ^ Wiktionary, das freie Wörterbuch (German Wiktionary), de.wiktionary.org
- ^ a b c d Grimm, Jacob; Grimm, Wilhelm (1854–1961), Deutsches Wörterbuch, 16 vols. in 32, Leipzig: Hirzel; digital: Wörterbuchnetz, Trier Center for Digital Humanities, p. 10, 1673
- ^ a b c Kluge, Friedrich; Seebold, Elmar (2011), Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, 25th ed., Berlin / Boston: De Gruyter, p. 421
- ^ Schützeichel, Rudolf (2012), Althochdeutsches Wörterbuch, 7th ed., Berlin / Boston: De Gruyter, p. 72
- ^ a b c d e f Duden. Das große Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache in zehn Bänden (1999), 3rd ed., Mannheim: Dudenverlag
- ^ a b Adelung, Johann Christoph (1793–1801), Grammatisch-kritisches Wörterbuch der Hochdeutschen Mundart, 2nd ed., 4 vols., Leipzig: Breitkopf