dürfen German · revision 34806

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=9th century, Old High German glosses|origins=gem-pro *þurbaną}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈdʏrfən/, [ˈdʏʁf(ə)n], [ˈdʏɐ̯f(ə)n]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''dürfen''' (preterite-present, third-person singular present darf, past tense durfte, past participle gedurft, past subjunctive dürfte, auxiliary haben)^(Wiktionary)

+ Middle High German had the past tense ''dorfte'', which was still usual in Early New High German and occasionally in the 18th century.^(Paul 2002)^(DWB2|6, 1797) ''durfte'', modelled on the present, appears now and then from the 12th century and became established in the 18th.^(DWB2|6, 1797)

+ Conversely, present forms ''dörfen'', ''wir dörfen'' after the past were used until the 18th century and survive in dialects.^(Paul 2002)^(DWB|2, 1721)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|durfen]], [[inh|goh|durfan|t=to need, have cause to]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*þurban]], [[inh|gem-pro|*þurbaną|t=to need]].^(Kluge 2011|224)^(Wiktionary)^(EWA|2, 866) The same verb is [[got|𐌸𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌱𐌰𐌽|tr=þaurban]], [[osx|thurƀan]], [[ofs|thurva]], [[ang|þurfan]] and [[non|þurfa]].^(Kluge 2011|224)^(DWB2|6, 1797) In Middle Dutch and Frisian it was partly mixed up with the verb meaning “to dare”.^(EWA|2, 866)

+

+ It is a preterite-present verb: its present tense is an old preterite (perfect) form that took on present meaning, and a new weak past was formed to it.^(Paul 2002)^(Kluge 2011|224) Its original sense, “to need”, survives in [[bedürfen]], in [[dürftig]] and [[Notdurft]], and in the related [[darben]].^(Kluge 2011|224)^(Duden 7 2020) The umlaut of the modern infinitive is not historical: the plural present had /u/, and the /ü/ spread by analogy from the 13th century and became regular in the 17th.^(DWB2|6, 1797)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Kluge derives it from the root [[ine-pro|*terp-|t=to satisfy oneself, enjoy]], found in [[sa|तृप्यति|tr=tṛpyati|t=is satisfied]], [[grc|τέρπω|tr=térpō|t=I satisfy, delight]] and [[lt|tarpa|alt=tarpà|t=prosperity]], with a semantic bridge from “enjoy” to “need” like that between [[gebrauchen]] and [[brauchen]].^(Kluge 2011|224)^(Wahrig Herkunftswörterbuch) He adds that this is hard to reconcile with the form of a perfect, so that much remains unclear.^(Kluge 2011|224) The Grimms' revised dictionary doubts the connection on semantic grounds, and the Duden finds no secure relatives outside Germanic.^(DWB2|6, 1797)^(Duden 7 2020)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''durfan'' is first recorded in glosses of the first quarter of the 9th century, and then in the Muspilli, Tatian, Otfrid and Notker.^(Köbler AHD)^(Schützeichel 2012|79) It meant “to need, have need of”, “to lack, go without” and “to have reason to”, and with a genitive “to need someone”.^(EWA|2, 866)^(Schützeichel 2012|79)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense “to need” lasted into Early New High German and occasionally into the 18th century, with a genitive object: Luther writes ''die Gesunden dürfen des Arztes nicht'' “the healthy do not need the physician”, and Wieland still uses the construction.^(Paul 2002)^(EWA|2, 866) In negative sentences ''dürfen'' with an infinitive meant “need to” until the 19th century, as in Luther's ''wer's wissen will, darf nicht weit laufen''; today [[brauchen]] has taken its place.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ The modern sense “to be allowed” grew out of this negative use in the 16th century.^(Duden 7 2020) Wahrig notes that the change has not been fully explained.^(Wahrig Herkunftswörterbuch) A sense “to dare” was also common in Early New High German, and Adelung, around 1800, describes it as largely obsolete, quoting the Bible: ''Wie darfst du denn sagen?'' (Jeremiah 2:23).^(FWB)^(Adelung 1793) Remnants of the old sense “to need” survive in some phrases, especially with ''nur'' or ''bloß''.^(Duden 7 2020)^(Duden GWDS 1999) The past subjunctive ''dürfte'' expresses a probable assumption.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) Ido borrowed the word as ''darfar''.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1st quarter of the 9th century – Old High German ''durfan'' appears in glosses.^(Köbler AHD)

+ * 12th century – First past forms with /u/ (''durfte'') beside ''dorfte''.^(DWB2|6, 1797)

+ * 13th century – The umlauted plural ''dürfen'' appears.^(DWB2|6, 1797)

+ * 14th century – The second person ''darfst'' begins to replace ''darft''.^(DWB2|6, 1797)^(EWA|2, 866)

+ * 16th century – The sense “to be allowed” develops from negative use.^(Duden 7 2020)

+ * 17th century – The umlauted present plural becomes regular.^(DWB2|6, 1797)

+ * 18th century – ''durfte'' prevails over ''dorfte''.^(DWB2|6, 1797) The construction with a genitive, “to need”, goes out of use.^(EWA|2, 866)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''(modal verb, with an infinitive)'' To be [[m|en|allowed]] or permitted to do something, may: ''Darf ich das Fenster öffnen?''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(usually negated)'' Expresses a wish, request or demand: ''Du darfst jetzt nicht den Mut verlieren!''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(negated)'' Not to have the moral right to do something: ''Man darf Kinder nicht schlagen.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # To have reason or cause to: ''Wir dürfen mit einem guten Ergebnis rechnen.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(past subjunctive'' dürfte'')'' Expresses a [[m|en|probable]] assumption: ''Das dürfte der Briefträger sein.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(regional)'' To need to, only have to, with ''nur'' or ''bloß''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(full verb)'' To be allowed to do something already mentioned: ''Sie wollte mitfahren, aber sie hat nicht gedurft.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(obsolete, with a genitive)'' To [[m|en|need]], require.^(Wiktionary)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[bedürfen]]

+ * [[Bedürfnis]]

+ * [[Bedarf]]

+ * [[dürftig]]

+ * [[Notdurft]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[darben]]

+ * [[bieder]]

+ * [[en|tharf]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}