persönlich

Forms

persönlich (strong nominative masculine singular persönlicher, comparative persönlicher, superlative am persönlichsten)^[1] In the 16th century it was still also written without umlaut, as in Middle High German.^[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle High German persōnlich, a derivative of persōn (“person”) (modern Person) with the suffix -lich.^[1][3][4] The noun was borrowed in the 12th century from Latin persōna (“mask, role, person”),^[5][3] whose origin is disputed.^[5] Köbler connects it with per (“through”) and sonō (“to sound”).^[4] Yiddish פּערזענלעך (perzenlekh) is the same adjective.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Middle High German persœnlich is found in Meister Eckhart (before 1326), Tauler and Seuse, meaning “personal, essential”;^[4] Pfeifer gives the Middle High German sense as “in one's own person”.^[3] Early New High German also used it of the persons of the Trinity.^[6]

Semantic evolution

In the 16th century persönlich could also mean “of fine figure, stately”, as in Melanchthon and in Stumpf's chronicle; the Grimms call this sense obsolete and dialectal.^[2][6] The sense “in one's own person” is common from the 17th century, with Goethe's die persönliche gegenwart der regentin and Schiller's in persönlichem gefecht.^[2] Luther already spoke of personliche laster, vices belonging to a particular person, and Lessing of personal satire.^[2] In grammar persönliches Zeitwort is recorded in 1672.^[2] Pfeifer also lists the senses “confidential” and “offensive”,^[3] and persönlich werden is to make remarks aimed at someone's person.^[7] Persönlichkeit is late Middle High German persōnlīcheit.^[3]

Timeline

• Before 1326 – Meister Eckhart uses persœnlich.^[4]
• Late Middle High German – persōnlīcheit is recorded.^[3]
• 16th century – The sense “stately”, and the spelling without umlaut.^[2]
• 1672 – persönliches Zeitwort in grammar.^[2]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Characteristic of a particular person: eine sehr persönliche Handschrift.^[7][1]
2. (philosophy, religion) Existing as a person: ein persönlicher Gott.^[7]
3. (grammar) Referring to the first, second or third person: persönliches Fürwort, a personal pronoun.^[7]
4. Direct, between individual people: ein persönliches Gespräch.^[7]
5. Warm, friendly: ein paar persönliche Worte.^[7][1]
6. Aimed at a person: etwas persönlich nehmen, to take something personally.^[7]
7. One's own, private: aus persönlichen Gründen.^[7][1]

Adverb

1. In person, oneself: Die Ministerin erschien persönlich.^[7][1]

Word family

• Persönlichkeit
• unpersönlich
• höchstpersönlich

Related words

• Person
• personal
• personell

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g Grimm, Jacob; Grimm, Wilhelm (1854–1961), Deutsches Wörterbuch, 16 vols. in 32, Leipzig: Hirzel; digital: Wörterbuchnetz, Trier Center for Digital Humanities, p. 13, 1566
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. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Mittelhochdeutsches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling
5. ^ a b Kluge, Friedrich; Seebold, Elmar (2011), Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, 25th ed., Berlin / Boston: De Gruyter, p. 694
6. ^ a b Anderson, Robert R.; Goebel, Ulrich; Reichmann, Oskar, eds. (1989–), Frühneuhochdeutsches Wörterbuch, Berlin / New York: De Gruyter; FWB-online, fwb-online.de
7. ^ a b c d e f g h i Duden. Das große Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache in zehn Bänden (1999), 3rd ed., Mannheim: Dudenverlag