arbeiten German · revision 34867

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=790–802, Old High German Benedictine Rule|origins=gem-pro *arbaidijaną}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈaʁbaɪ̯tən/, [ˈʔäʁbäɪ̯tən], [-tn̩]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''arbeiten''' (third-person singular present arbeitet, past tense arbeitete, past participle gearbeitet, auxiliary haben)^(Wiktionary)

+ The older form ''erbeiten'', with secondary umlaut, was in use until the 17th century and occasionally in the 19th.^(DWB2|3, 190)^(EWA|1, 313)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|arbeiten]], [[inh|goh|arbeiten]], [[inh|gem-pro|*arbaidijaną]], a verb formed from the noun [[Arbeit]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary)^(Kluge 2011|57) The same verb is [[got|𐌰𐍂𐌱𐌰𐌹𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌽|tr=arbaidjan]], [[non|erfiða]], [[osx|arvedian]], [[ofs|arbeida]] and [[gml|arbēden]], and today [[nl|arbeiden]];^(Pfeifer 1993)^(EWA|1, 318)^(Wiktionary) Swedish [[m|sv|arbeta]] and Danish [[m|da|arbejde]] were borrowed from Middle Low German.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(EWA|1, 318)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ The noun goes back to [[gem-pro|*arbaiþiz|t=toil, hardship]], also in [[got|𐌰𐍂𐌱𐌰𐌹𐌸𐍃|tr=arbaiþs]].^(Kluge 2011|57) Pfeifer and the Duden explain it as an abstract noun to a lost verb meaning “to be an orphan forced into hard labour”, from [[ine-pro|*orbʰo-|t=orphaned, orphan]], the root of [[Erbe]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2007)^(Wiktionary) Kluge is more cautious: such a derivation would be a type not otherwise recorded, and the Slavic word compared with it, [[cu|работа|tr=rabota|t=servitude]] beside [[m|cu|рабъ|tr=rabŭ|t=slave]], has a different suffix.^(Kluge 2011|57)

+

+ Middle High German also had forms with secondary umlaut, while the standard language kept the full diphthong in the second syllable, perhaps because the word was felt to be a compound; the dialects mostly have a weakened vowel there.^(EWA|1, 313)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''arbeiten'' is first recorded in the Benedictine Rule (790–802), translating Latin ''laborare'', and then in the Tatian, Notker and Williram, meaning “to torment, oppress”, “to toil, strive” and “to cultivate”.^(DWB2|3, 190)^(Schützeichel 2012|39)^(EWA|1, 318)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Like the noun, the verb first referred to hardship and toil: the Grimms' revision groups its early uses as “to strain oneself, suffer, struggle”, with a transitive sense “to torment someone”.^(DWB2|3, 190)^(Pfeifer 1993) The sense “to be busy, to do a task” is also found from the Benedictine Rule on, and the verb came to be used of things that function and of earning one's living.^(DWB2|3, 190) Pfeifer and the Duden link the shift towards a positive valuation of work with Luther and the rising middle classes.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2007)

+

+ In the southwest, in Switzerland, Swabia, Alsace, Lorraine, Luxembourg and the southern Rhineland, everyday speech uses [[schaffen]] instead.^(DWB2|3, 190) The Duden dictionary records figurative uses such as ''sein Geld arbeiten lassen'' and ''das Schiff arbeitet'', of a ship labouring in a heavy swell.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 790–802 – Old High German ''arabeittan'' appears in the Benedictine Rule.^(DWB2|3, 190)

+ * Before 1022 – Notker uses the verb.^(DWB2|3, 190)

+ * c. 1147 – The ''Kaiserchronik'' uses ''arbaiten'' for working with one's hands.^(DWB2|3, 190)

+ * 17th century – The form ''erbeiten'' falls out of use.^(DWB2|3, 190)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|work]], to be active, physically or mentally: ''sie arbeitet an einer Übersetzung''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To be [[m|en|employed]], to have a job: ''er arbeitet bei der Post''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # To do research on a subject: ''über die Romantik arbeiten''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # To strive for something, or to work against it: ''für den Frieden arbeiten''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(of a machine or organ)'' To [[m|en|function]], operate.^(Wiktionary)^(DWB2|3, 190)

+ # ''(of dough or wine)'' To [[m|en|ferment]].^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(reflexive)'' To make one's way with effort: ''sich durch den Schnee arbeiten''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(transitive)'' To make, produce: ''einen Ring aus Silber arbeiten''.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Arbeiter]]

+ * [[abarbeiten]]

+ * [[aufarbeiten]]

+ * [[ausarbeiten]]

+ * [[bearbeiten]]

+ * [[durcharbeiten]]

+ * [[einarbeiten]]

+ * [[erarbeiten]]

+ * [[mitarbeiten]]

+ * [[nacharbeiten]]

+ * [[verarbeiten]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Arbeit]]

+ * [[Erbe]]

+ * [[arm]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}