Etymologically
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Problem

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Pronunciation

  • /pʁoˈbleːm/[1]

Forms

Problem n (genitive Problems, plural Probleme, diminutive Problemchen n)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin problēma, from Ancient Greek πρόβλημα (próblēma, “something put forward; obstacle; a question set”), from προβάλλω (probállō, “to throw forward, put forward”), from πρό (pró, “before, forward”) and βάλλω (bállō, “to throw”).[2][3][4] It was borrowed in the 16th century, after an isolated Middle High German problēm.[2][3][5] Until the late 18th century the word kept its Latin ending and plural, and the German form without the ending became usual in the 18th century.[3][6] Paul and the Grimms' dictionary attribute the shorter form to English problem, Paul with a question mark, while Kluge links only the weaker modern sense “trouble, difficulty” with English, and only as a possibility.[7][8][2] The same word is Dutch probleem, French problème and Swedish problem.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Lexer records an isolated Middle High German problēm.[5] In 1558 the statutes of Heidelberg University speak of ein gemein problema oder Fragestück, a question put forward for disputation; at first the word belonged to philosophy and mathematics.[6]

Semantic evolution

The glossaries of the 15th and 16th centuries render Latin problema with native words such as retzel “riddle”, and attempts to replace it with Aufgabe, recorded from 1525, had no lasting effect.[6] Fischart wrote in 1581 of Aristotle's problematen.[6] The form Problem appears in Herder in 1766, and Lessing and Goethe used the word for a difficult or unsolved question.[7][6][8]

From the early 20th century many compounds were formed, and in the 1920s Tucholsky mocked the fashion for the word.[7] The adjective problematisch is recorded in Thomasius in 1692, and Goethe often used it, as in problematische Naturen;[7][3] Problematik dates from the early 19th century.[3] In chess composition the word names a set position to be solved in a given number of moves.[9]

Timeline

  • 1525 – Aufgabe is used to translate the word.[6]
  • 1558 – problema appears in the Heidelberg university statutes.[6]
  • 1581 – Fischart writes of Aristotle's problematen.[6]
  • 1692 – problematisch is used by Thomasius.[7]
  • 1766 – Herder uses the form Problem.[7][6]
  • Early 19th century – Problematik appears.[3]
  • Early 20th century – Numerous compounds with Problem are formed.[7]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A difficult, unsolved task or question, a problem: ein technisches Problem lösen.[10][1][11]
  2. A difficulty, a trouble that stands in the way: Sie hat Probleme mit dem Rücken.[10][11]
  3. (chess) A composed chess puzzle with a set task, such as mate in a given number of moves.[9]

Word family

  • problematisch
  • Problematik
  • problemlos

Usage notes

Das ist kein Problem means that something causes no difficulty.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Kluge, Friedrich; Seebold, Elmar (2011), Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, 25th ed., Berlin / Boston: De Gruyter, p. 724
  3. ^ 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
  4. ^ Duden. Das Herkunftswörterbuch: Etymologie der deutschen Sprache (2020), 6th ed., Duden vol. 7, Berlin: Dudenverlag, p. 651
  5. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Mittelhochdeutsches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i Schulz, Hans; Basler, Otto, et al. (1913–1988), Deutsches Fremdwörterbuch, 7 vols., Strasbourg / Berlin: Trübner / De Gruyter; 2nd ed., ed. Gerhard Strauß et al. (1995–), Berlin / New York: De Gruyter; via OWID, Leibniz-Institut für Deutsche Sprache
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Paul, Hermann (2002), Deutsches Wörterbuch: Bedeutungsgeschichte und Aufbau unseres Wortschatzes, 10th ed., ed. Helmut Henne, Heidrun Kämper and Georg Objartel, Tübingen: Niemeyer
  8. ^ a b Grimm, Jacob; Grimm, Wilhelm (1854–1961), Deutsches Wörterbuch, 16 vols. in 32, Leipzig: Hirzel; digital: Wörterbuchnetz, Trier Center for Digital Humanities, p. 13, 2154
  9. ^ a b Duden. Das Fremdwörterbuch (2007), 9th ed., Duden vol. 5, Mannheim: Dudenverlag
  10. ^ a b c Duden. Das große Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache in zehn Bänden (1999), 3rd ed., Mannheim: Dudenverlag
  11. ^ a b Wiktionary, das freie Wörterbuch (German Wiktionary), de.wiktionary.org