Etymologically
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allgemein

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Pronunciation

  • /ˌalɡəˈmaɪ̯n/, /ˈalɡəˌmaɪ̯n/[1]

Forms

allgemein (strong nominative masculine singular allgemeiner, comparative allgemeiner, superlative am allgemeinsten)[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle High German algemeine (“all together, altogether”), beside Middle Low German algemêine and almêine.[2][3] The word is from German all + gemein: the first part strengthens the second in its old sense “shared, common to all”.[2][4][5]

The first part goes back to Proto-Germanic *allaz (“all”), the same word as Gothic 𐌰𐌻𐌻𐍃 (alls), Old Norse allr and Old English eall;[6][7] its further origin is uncertain, and Kluge compares Oscan allo (“whole”) and Old Irish uile (“all”).[6] The second continues Old High German gimeini, Proto-Germanic *gamainiz (“common”), also in Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌼𐌰𐌹𐌽𐍃 (gamains); it is formed exactly like Latin commūnis.[8][9]

Earliest recorded meaning

The oldest quotation in the revised Grimm dictionary is from the Middle High German Exodus of about 1120–1130: si sturben algemeine groz und chleine, “they all died, great and small”.[3] The adverb, meaning “all together, in common”, is the usual form at first;[10] Köbler lists it in Heinrich von Veldeke's Eneasroman (1187/1189) and the adjective “general, whole” in Ulrich von Zatzikhoven's Lanzelet (after 1193).[10]

Semantic evolution

In Middle High German and Early New High German the word mostly followed a plural noun, “all of them, one and all”, as in ir herrn allgemein (“you lords, all of you”); this use lasted in verse and rhyme into the 18th century.[3] The sense “universal, concerning the whole world” followed Latin catholicus and universālis: die allgemeine christliche Kirche renders the catholic church of the creed.[3]

For a long time allgemein stood side by side with gemein, with which it was often exchanged or contrasted; set phrases such as das gemeine Wohl and der gemeine Nutzen came first, and das allgemeine Wohl replaced them only gradually.[3] When gemein declined in meaning to “common, base, mean”, the old neutral sense stayed with allgemein, which displaced it in many uses from the 19th century on.[2][3] The Grimms illustrate the split with allgemeine Geschichte, world history, against gemeine Geschichte, a common, worthless story.[11]

The adverbial senses “by everyone, everywhere” (allgemein bekannt) spread from the middle of the 18th century, although Adelung rejected them as contrary to the meaning of the word.[3][12] Also recent is the use for the general as opposed to the particular, from which come “vague, noncommittal” and, to a small degree, “ordinary”; but the word never declined as far as gemein.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 1120–1130 – The Middle High German Exodus uses algemeine “all together”.[3]
  • 1187/1189 – The adverb appears in Heinrich von Veldeke's Eneasroman.[10]
  • After 1193 – The adjective appears in Ulrich von Zatzikhoven's Lanzelet.[10]
  • 1522 – Zwingli writes of die allgemein versammlung der christen, the universal assembly of Christians.[3]
  • 1535 – Dasypodius's dictionary glosses Latin catholicus and universalis with allgemeyn.[3]
  • 1774 – Adelung's dictionary rejects allgemein in the sense “everywhere, by everyone”.[3]
  • 19th century – Allgemein displaces gemein in many uses.[3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Common to all, widespread, general: Die allgemeine Stimmung war gedrückt.[13][1]
  2. Everywhere, by everyone (as an adverb): Der Arzt ist im ganzen Dorf allgemein beliebt.[13][14]
  3. Concerning all, applying to or binding on everybody: das allgemeine Wahlrecht, universal suffrage.[13]
  4. Not going into detail, not special or specific;[13][1] im Allgemeinen, in general, as a rule.[13][1]
  5. (often slightly pejorative) vague, noncommittal: Seine Antwort blieb sehr allgemein.[13]
  6. Wide-ranging, comprehensive: eine gute allgemeine Bildung.[13]

Word family

  • Allgemeinheit
  • verallgemeinern
  • Allgemeinbildung
  • gemein

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Kluge, Friedrich; Seebold, Elmar (2011), Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, 25th ed., Berlin / Boston: De Gruyter, p. 33
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob Grimm und Wilhelm Grimm, Neubearbeitung (1965–2018), ed. Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften and Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen, 9 vols. (A–F), Leipzig / Stuttgart: Hirzel, p. 2, 423
  4. ^ Pfeifer, Wolfgang, et al. (1993), Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Deutschen, 2nd ed., Berlin: Akademie-Verlag; digital revised version in the DWDS, dwds.de
  5. ^ Wahrig-Burfeind, Renate, ed., Wahrig Herkunftswörterbuch, Gütersloh / München: Wissen Media Verlag; online edition at wissen.de
  6. ^ a b Kluge, Friedrich; Seebold, Elmar (2011), Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, 25th ed., Berlin / Boston: De Gruyter, p. 31
  7. ^ Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill
  8. ^ Kluge, Friedrich; Seebold, Elmar (2011), Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, 25th ed., Berlin / Boston: De Gruyter, p. 345
  9. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Althochdeutsches Wörterbuch, 6th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling
  10. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Mittelhochdeutsches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling
  11. ^ Grimm, Jacob; Grimm, Wilhelm (1854–1961), Deutsches Wörterbuch, 16 vols. in 32, Leipzig: Hirzel; digital: Wörterbuchnetz, Trier Center for Digital Humanities, p. 1, 234
  12. ^ Adelung, Johann Christoph (1793–1801), Grammatisch-kritisches Wörterbuch der Hochdeutschen Mundart, 2nd ed., 4 vols., Leipzig: Breitkopf
  13. ^ a b c d e f g Duden. Das große Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache in zehn Bänden (1999), 3rd ed., Mannheim: Dudenverlag
  14. ^ Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob Grimm und Wilhelm Grimm, Neubearbeitung (1965–2018), ed. Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften and Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen, 9 vols. (A–F), Leipzig / Stuttgart: Hirzel