wichtig German · revision 34799

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=end of the 14th century|origins=gml wichte}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈvɪçtɪç/^(Wiktionary)

+ * Austria, southern Germany: /ˈvɪçtɪk/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''wichtig''' (strong nominative masculine singular wichtiger, comparative wichtiger, superlative am wichtigsten)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|wihtec|t=sold by weight]], [[bor|gml|wichtich|t=weighed, heavy]], from [[m|gml|wichte|t=weight]].^(Kluge 2011|985)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020) The noun is a form without the prefix of the word that became [[Gewicht]], so the adjective first meant “weighed, having full weight”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020)^(Duden GWDS 1999) [[ofs|wichtich]] belongs with it.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DWB|29, 823)

+

+ The Grimms' dictionary places its origin in northern Middle Low German, where such prefixes were often dropped, and points to the earliest records and to early loans into the Scandinavian languages from 1408, the source of [[sv|viktig]] and [[da|vigtig]].^(DWB|29, 823) As a word of the Hanseatic trade it spread from the northern towns first into East Central German and then, by the 16th century, over the whole German-speaking area.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DWB|29, 823) Comparable formations are [[nl|gewichtig]] and [[en|weighty]].^(Kluge 2011|985)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Late Middle High German (Central German) ''wihtec'' is recorded at the end of the 14th century, meaning “sold by weight, weighed, of full weight”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Lexer 1872|3, 883)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The figurative sense “weighty, significant”, the only one today, begins in the 16th century and becomes common in the 18th.^(Pfeifer 1993) Luther already writes of ''eine ewige und über alle Maße wichtige Herrlichkeit'' (2 Corinthians 4:17), while Lessing and Wieland still use the concrete sense for gold coins.^(Paul 2002) Around 1800 Adelung lists “heavy” as rare and “of full weight” for coins as current.^(Adelung 1793) The concrete sense survives in ''vollwichtig'' in numismatics.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ Of persons it meant “influential” occasionally in the 16th and 17th centuries and above all in the 18th, perhaps influenced by [[gewichtig]].^(Paul 2002) ''Für wichtig halten'' is recorded from the 17th century and ''sich wichtig machen'' “to show off” from the 18th.^(Pfeifer 1993) Campe gives the disparaging sense “self-important”, as in a ''wichtige Miene''.^(Paul 2002) [[Wichtigkeit]] dates from the 16th century, and ''Wichte'' “specific gravity” is a revival of the old noun in the mid-20th century.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * End of the 14th century – Central German ''wihtec'' “of full weight” is recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1408 – An Old Swedish loan of the word is recorded.^(DWB|29, 823)

+ * 16th century – The word has spread over the whole German area, and the figurative sense begins.^(Pfeifer 1993) ''Wichtigkeit'' appears.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 17th century – ''für wichtig halten'' is recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 18th century – The figurative sense becomes common, and ''sich wichtig machen'' appears.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * Mid-20th century – ''Wichte'' “specific gravity” is revived.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|important]], significant, of great consequence for someone or something: ''ein wichtiger Termin'';^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) ''Schlaf ist für Kinder sehr wichtig.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Of a person: [[m|en|influential]], prominent.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Paul 2002)

+ # ''(disparaging)'' Self-important, in ''sich wichtig machen'', ''sich wichtig tun''.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)

+ # ''(obsolete)'' Of coins: of full weight.^(Adelung 1793)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Wichtigkeit]]

+ * [[Wichtigtuer]]

+ * [[wichtigtuerisch]]

+ * [[vollwichtig]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Gewicht]]

+ * [[gewichtig]]

+ * [[wiegen]]

+ * [[en|weighty]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}