mal German · revision 34830

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=clipping|attested=16th century|origins=gem-pro *mēlą}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /maːl/^(Wiktionary)

+ * Colloquial: /ma/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''mal''' (adverb, invariable)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a shortening of [[einmal]], which was itself formed in the 16th century from the accusative phrase meaning “one time”, with the noun [[Mal#1]] “point in time”.^(Paul 2002)^(Wiktionary)^(Pfeifer 1993) The multiplication sense comes directly from the noun, isolated from reckoning phrases of the 15th century.^(Pfeifer 1993) That noun is [[inh|gmh|māl]], [[inh|goh|māl|t=point in time]], [[inh|gem-pro|*mēlą]], the same word as [[got|𐌼𐌴𐌻|tr=mēl|t=time, hour]], [[ang|mǣl]] and [[en|meal]]; it is derived from the root [[ine-pro|*mē-|t=to measure]].^(Kluge 2011|595)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Kroonen 2013)

+

+ Before the adverb was written as one word, older German used phrases with a preposition or the genitive, such as Old High German [[m|goh|zi einemo māle]] and Middle High German [[m|gmh|eines māles]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|227) In the same way the noun forms the second part of [[zweimal]], [[damals]], [[jemals]], [[niemals]] and [[zumal]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)^(Kluge 2011|595)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The multiplication use is recorded in the 15th century, in reckoning phrases such as ''zu wunfczen malen wunfczen'', and the verb [[malnehmen]] “to multiply” in the 18th century.^(Pfeifer 1993) The temporal adverb [[einmal]] is attested from the 16th century, and ''mal'' is its colloquial short form.^(Duden 7 2020|227)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ As a short form of ''einmal'', ''mal'' first meant “once, at some time”, of the past or the future, as in G. A. Bürger's ''es war mal ein kaiser'' “there once was an emperor” and Goethe's ''Wenn ich 'mal ungeduldig werde, / Denk' ich an die Geduld der Erde''.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ Paul explains how it became a modal particle: what was presented as something to do just once, or “when it comes up”, could later be taken as a trifle, so that from the 18th century ''mal'' signals that the speaker regards the matter as small.^(Paul 2002) In this function it softens statements, questions and commands, as in Wieland's ''nun stellen sie sich mal vor'' “now just imagine”.^(Paul 2002)^(Wiktionary) It also forms fixed groups with other particles, such as ''erst mal'', ''noch mal'', ''nun mal'' and ''nicht mal'' “not even”.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1000 – Old High German ''nū zi māle'' “for now” is recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 15th century – ''mal'' is used in multiplication.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 16th century – ''einmal'' is written as one word.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|227)

+ * 18th century – ''mal'' is used as a softening particle.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 18th century – The verb ''malnehmen'' “to multiply” is formed.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # ''(mathematics)'' [[m|en|times]], multiplied by: ''drei mal vier ist zwölf''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' Short for [[einmal]]: once, at some time, [[m|en|ever]]: ''warst du schon mal in Rom?''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Particle===

+ # ''(colloquial)'' Softens a request, command or statement: ''gib mir mal das Salz'', ''schau mal''.^(Wiktionary)^(Paul 2002)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' In fixed groups such as ''nicht mal'' “not even” and ''nun mal'' “after all, simply”.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[malnehmen]]

+ * [[Malrechnung]]

+ * [[schon mal]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Mal#1]]

+ * [[einmal]]

+ * [[Mahl]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}