stets

Forms

stets^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle High German stætes, the genitive of the adjective stet (Middle High German stæte, Old High German stāti (“firm, lasting”)) frozen as an adverb.^[2][3][4][5] The same adverb is Middle Low German stēdes and Dutch steeds, and Swedish städs and older Danish steds were taken from Middle Low German.^[5][3]

Kluge explains the adjective as a verbal adjective, probably to the verb standan (see Stand) though the vowel does not fit, or else to stehen, with a ti- or tjo-suffix.^[2] Pfeifer and the Duden take it as a formation with a dental suffix to the root Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- (“to stand”), with an original sense “standing firm”, in time “lasting”.^[3][4] The Duden notes that the adjective is found only in German.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The adverb is recorded from the end of the courtly period, in late Middle High German, meaning “continually, without a break”: daz si stetes zu bette muste legin “that she had to lie in bed all the time” (life of Saint Louis).^[5] Konrad von Megenberg's Buch der Natur says that a worm-eaten wood keeps well only if it is stætes mit rauch umbvangen “constantly surrounded by smoke”.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It was used in full only from the 16th century, and has kept its meaning to the present.^[5] Early New High German used it of the whole span of a stated time, “continually”, sometimes tending towards “again and again”.^[6] The dialects rarely have it, and then from the written language; it is lacking in Bavarian, while some Low and Central German dialects say stets und ständig, and Prussian stetsständig “continually”.^[5] The adjective stet itself has become obsolescent, and the extended form stetig is more common.^[2][4] From stet the Upper German stad “quiet, calm” developed a sense of its own.^[3]

Timeline

• Late Middle High German – stætes “constantly” appears.^[5]
• 16th century – The adverb comes into full use.^[5]

Meanings

Adverb

1. (formal) Always, at all times, constantly: Er ist stets gut gelaunt.^[7][1]
2. (formal) Every time, whenever the condition is given: Wenn es schneit, fährt sie stets mit dem Zug.^[1][8]

Related words

• stet
• stetig
• bestätigen
• stehen
• Stand

Usage notes

Stets und ständig “always and forever” is an emphatic doublet.^[7][5]

References

1. ^ a b c d 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. 883
3. ^ a b c d 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 Duden. Das Herkunftswörterbuch: Etymologie der deutschen Sprache (2020), 6th ed., Duden vol. 7, Berlin: Dudenverlag, p. 822
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Grimm, Jacob; Grimm, Wilhelm (1854–1961), Deutsches Wörterbuch, 16 vols. in 32, Leipzig: Hirzel; digital: Wörterbuchnetz, Trier Center for Digital Humanities, p. 18, 2580
6. ^ Anderson, Robert R.; Goebel, Ulrich; Reichmann, Oskar, eds. (1989–), Frühneuhochdeutsches Wörterbuch, Berlin / New York: De Gruyter; FWB-online, fwb-online.de
7. ^ a b Duden. Das große Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache in zehn Bänden (1999), 3rd ed., Mannheim: Dudenverlag
8. ^ Wiktionary, das freie Wörterbuch (German Wiktionary), de.wiktionary.org