einmal German · revision 34803

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=c. 1400 as one word (Grimm); 16th century (Pfeifer, Duden)}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈaɪ̯nmaːl/^(Wiktionary)

+ * Colloquial: /ˈaɪma/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''einmal''' (adverb; also an unstressed particle, colloquially shortened to ''mal'')^(Wiktionary)^(DWB2|7, 845)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|de|ein|Mal|t1=one|t2=time, occasion]], an accusative phrase that grew into one word.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020)^(Wahrig Herkunftswörterbuch) The second part is [[goh|māl|t=point in time]], the word for a point in time that is also the source of [[Mal]].^(Paul 2002)^(Schützeichel 2012|213) Before the accusative became usual, the older language used phrases such as [[goh|zi einemo māle|t=at one time]] and the dative plural [[m|goh|einzēn mālen]], and later [[gmh|ze einem māle]] or [[m|gmh|eines māles]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DWB|3, 230) The dative was used in [[got|𐌰𐌹𐌽𐌰𐌼𐌼𐌰 𐍃𐌹𐌽𐌸𐌰|tr=ainamma sinþa]] and Old Norse [[m|non|einu sinni]].^(DWB|3, 230) Parallel formations are [[gml|ênmâl]] and [[nl|eenmaal]].^(Wiktionary)^(DWB2|7, 845)

+

+ The sources date the word differently.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DWB2|7, 845) Pfeifer, the Duden and Paul date the joining of the phrase to the 16th century.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020)^(Paul 2002) The Grimms' revised dictionary dates the change from loose phrase to single word to about 1400, and quotes a form [[m|gmh|ze ainmâl]] from the Kaiserchronik (before 1147).^(DWB2|7, 845) The first edition notes that Luther's Bible almost always writes the phrase separately, after which the word gradually prevailed over [[einsmals]].^(DWB|3, 230)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The Kaiserchronik (before 1147) uses ''ze ainmâl'' for “one day, at some time in the future”.^(DWB2|7, 845) In the 14th and 15th centuries authors such as Meister Eckhart still preferred ''ze einem mâle'', ''eines'' or ''einest''.^(DWB|3, 230)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the start the word served both as a numeral of repetition, “once, one time”, and as a vague adverb of time, pointing to the past or the future.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(FWB) Fixed combinations developed their own senses: ''auf einmal'' “at the same time, suddenly”, ''mit einmal'' “unexpectedly”, ''noch einmal'' “once more”.^(Pfeifer 1993) After adverbs such as ''nun'' and ''erst'' it is weakened to a particle.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ The proverb ''einmal ist keinmal'' “once is never” is recorded in the Grimms' dictionary.^(Paul 2002) ''Es war einmal'' is the usual opening of fairy tales, and ''einmal mehr'' “once again” follows English ''once more''.^(Duden GWDS 1999) [[Einmaleins]] “multiplication table” is the phrase ''ein mal eins'' “one times one” used as a noun from the 15th century, and [[einmalig]] “unique” appears in the 17th.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1147 – ''ze ainmâl'' “one day” appears in the Kaiserchronik.^(DWB2|7, 845)

+ * c. 1400 – The phrase begins to become a single word, according to the Grimms' revised dictionary.^(DWB2|7, 845)

+ * 15th century – ''Einmaleins'' “multiplication table” is formed.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 16th century – Luther writes ''ein mal'' separately.^(DWB|3, 230) Pfeifer and the Duden date the single word from this century.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020)

+ * 17th century – ''einmalig'' appears.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # [[m|en|once]], a single time: ''Ich war nur einmal in Rom.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # For one thing, firstly.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # One day, at some time in the future: ''Das wirst du einmal verstehen.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Formerly, long ago: ''Hier stand einmal eine Mühle.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # At some time, sometime: ''Besuchen Sie uns doch einmal!''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ===Particle===

+ # ''(unstressed)'' Strengthens statements, questions and requests: ''Hör einmal zu!''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(after certain adverbs)'' Limits or marks a step: ''erst einmal'', ''wieder einmal''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[einmalig]]

+ * [[Einmaleins]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[zweimal]]

+ * [[dreimal]]

+ * [[manchmal]]

+ * [[ein]]

+ * [[Mal]]

+ * [[einst]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Nicht einmal'' means “not even”, and ''auf einmal'' “suddenly” or “all at once”.^(Wiktionary)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}