Geschichte German · revision 34809

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 1000, Notker|origins=gem-pro *skehaną}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Germany: /ɡəˈʃɪçtə/^(Wiktionary)

+ * Austria, Southern-Germany: /ɡ̊eˈʃɪçtɛ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Geschichte''' ''f'' (genitive Geschichte, plural Geschichten, diminutive Geschichtchen n or Geschichtlein n or Geschichtl n or Geschichterl n)^(Wiktionary)

+ Middle High German ''geschiht'' was feminine; from about 1300 a neuter ''daʒ geschichte'', ''geschicht'' appears in Central German sources, and Luther usually wrote ''das Geschicht''.^(DWB|5, 3857)^(Pfeifer 1993) From the 17th century the feminine ''die Geschichte'', plural ''Geschichten'', gradually prevailed.^(DWB|5, 3857)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|geschiht]], [[inh|goh|giskiht|t=event, chance]], an abstract noun with a /t/ suffix formed from the verb that is now [[geschehen]], so that it first meant “what happens”.^(Kluge 2011|352)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2014|333) The word is found only in German.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2014|333) It is not related to [[Schicht]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ The verb, Old High German [[m|goh|giskehan]], is a prefixed form of [[goh|scehan|t=to roam, hurry]], from [[gem-pro|*skehaną]];^(Kluge 2011|352)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary) Kluge concludes that it was originally a verb of running, “to run its course”.^(Kluge 2011|352)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary) Outside Germanic, Kluge and Pfeifer compare [[sga|scuichid|t=moves, departs]] and [[ru|скочить|tr=skočítʹ|t=to jump]], and Pfeifer sets up a root [[ine-pro|*(s)kek-|t=to jump, move quickly]].^(Kluge 2011|352)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''giskiht'' is recorded in Notker, about 1000, and in glosses, meaning “happening, event, occurrence, fate, chance, circumstances”.^(Köbler AHD)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Kluge 2011|352)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Middle High German ''geschiht'' also meant “divine dispensation”, “sequence of events”, “affair, thing” and “quality, manner”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2014|333) From the 15th or 16th century it was used for an oral or written account of something that happened or was invented, a story, and was equated with [[Historie]].^(Duden 7 2014|333)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002) Luther in 1521 calls the gospel ''ein schlecht leicht historien odder geschicht'' “a plain, simple history or story”.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ The plural ''Geschichten'' (14th century) referred to memorable events concerning a place, a people or a person, understood as a series; from it a new collective singular developed in the 17th century, as in ''die teutsche Geschichte und Sprache'' (1644), covering both the events and the account of them.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002) In the 18th century Kant, Herder and Schiller made it the name of a science, and the Duden gives Herder the main part.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2014|333) In colloquial use ''Geschichte'' can also mean an awkward affair.^(Paul 2002)^(Duden GWDS 1999) English ''world history'' (1837) was modelled on [[Weltgeschichte]].^(LWP)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1000 – Old High German ''giskiht'' is used by Notker.^(Köbler AHD)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * c. 1300 – A neuter ''geschichte'' appears in Central German.^(DWB|5, 3857)

+ * 14th century – The plural ''Geschichten'' is used for memorable events.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1521 – Luther uses ''geschicht'' for “story”.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1644 – ''die teutsche Geschichte'' shows the new collective singular.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 17th century – The adjective ''geschichtlich'' appears.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 18th century – ''Geschichte'' becomes the name of a science.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1837 – English ''world history'' is recorded.^(LWP)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|history]], the political, cultural and social development of a region, people or field: ''die Geschichte Europas''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # History as a science or school subject.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # A scholarly account of a historical development.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # A [[m|en|story]], an oral or written account of real or invented events: ''eine Geschichte vorlesen''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' An (unpleasant) [[m|en|affair]] or business: ''eine ärgerliche Geschichte''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[geschichtlich]]

+ * [[Geschichtsschreibung]]

+ * [[Geschichtsklitterung]]

+ * [[Vorgeschichte]]

+ * [[Weltgeschichte]]

+ * [[Naturgeschichte]]

+ * [[Zeitgeschichte]]

+ * [[Kurzgeschichte]]

+ * [[Liebesgeschichte]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[geschehen]]

+ * [[schicken]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Geschichte machen'' “to make history” is to do something of decisive importance.^(Duden GWDS 1999) The plural ''Geschichten'' is colloquial for fuss or nonsense, as in ''Mach keine Geschichten!''^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}