Etymologically
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derzeit

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Pronunciation

  • /ˈdeːɐ̯t͡saɪ̯t/[1]

Forms

derzeit[1]

Etymology

It is a univerbation of a genitive of time, Middle High German der zīte (“at the time”), made of the article der and Zeit.[2][1][3] A side form derenzeit is also recorded.[3] Compare Dutch destijds (“at the time”), formed the same way.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler records Middle High German derzīt in the Kreuzfahrt Landgraf Ludwigs of 1301.[4] In the earliest quotations of the revised Grimm dictionary it means both “at present”, as in a chronicle of about 1450 naming a man derzyt schultheiss “then mayor”, and, looking back, “at that time”, as in Michel Beheim's rhymed chronicle of 1469.[3]

Semantic evolution

The Early New High German dictionary gives both senses, “at this time, now” and “then, in the past”.[5] Both were still used in the 20th century: a 1967 newspaper uses it for the present, and Arnold Zweig in 1937 for the past.[3] In standard German the sense “at present, for the time being” now prevails, and the Duden dictionary marks “at that time” as becoming dated.[2][1]

Timeline

  • 1301 – Middle High German derzīt in the Kreuzfahrt.[4]
  • c. 1450 – Used of a man then in office.[3]
  • 1469 – Michel Beheim uses it for “at that time”.[3]
  • 1825 – Grillparzer uses it for the present.[3]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. At present, currently, for the time being: Das Museum ist derzeit geschlossen.[2][1]
  2. (dated) At that time, back then.[2][1]
  • Zeit
  • zurzeit
  • seinerzeit

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Duden. Das große Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache in zehn Bänden (1999), 3rd ed., Mannheim: Dudenverlag
  3. ^ a b c d e f g 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. 6, 748
  4. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Mittelhochdeutsches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling
  5. ^ Anderson, Robert R.; Goebel, Ulrich; Reichmann, Oskar, eds. (1989–), Frühneuhochdeutsches Wörterbuch, Berlin / New York: De Gruyter; FWB-online, fwb-online.de