gestern German · revision 34875

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 830, Old High German Tatian|origins=gmw-pro *gesteran}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈɡɛstərn/, /ˈɡɛstɐn/^(Wiktionary)

+ * Mecklenburg-Vorpommern: /ˈɡɛstn/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''gestern''' (adverb)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old High German had several case forms: ''gestre'', ''gestera'' (dative singular) and ''gesteron'', ''gesterēn'' (dative plural), the source of the modern form.^(Kluge 2011|355)^(DWB|5, 4229) The shorter ''gester'' was still in use in the 17th century and survives in Tyrol and Switzerland; forms with a final ''-t'', ''gestert'', are also recorded.^(DWB|5, 4229)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|gestern]], [[inh|goh|gesteron]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*gesteran]], a West Germanic adverb with several case endings.^(Kluge 2011|355)^(Wiktionary)^(EWA|4, 190) The same word is [[gml|gisterne]], [[dum|ghisteren]] and [[ang|geostran]], and today [[nl|gisteren]];^(Pfeifer 1993)^(EWA|4, 190) Old English also had the compound [[m|ang|gystran dæg]], the source of English [[m|en|yesterday]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(EWA|4, 190) [[got|𐌲𐌹𐍃𐍄𐍂𐌰𐌳𐌰𐌲𐌹𐍃|tr=gistradagis]] means “tomorrow”, and with another ablaut grade [[non|í gær]] means “yesterday”, rarely “tomorrow”.^(Kluge 2011|355)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ The word was formed with the suffix [[ine-pro|*-ter-]], like [[la|hesternus|t=of yesterday]] beside [[m|la|herī|t=yesterday]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(EWA|4, 190) Other related words are [[grc|χθές|tr=khthés]] and [[sa|ह्यस्|tr=hyás]];^(Kluge 2011|355)^(Pfeifer 1993) Kluge sets out from [[ine-pro|*ǵʰyes]], perhaps an adverbial genitive.^(Kluge 2011|355)^(Pfeifer 1993) Pfeifer reckons with several Indo-European base forms and finds a common source uncertain.^(Pfeifer 1993) Kluge mentions as attractive in meaning, but difficult in sound, a derivation from a pointing particle and a word for “day”, “on that day”.^(Kluge 2011|355)

+

+ The original sense was “on the other day” as seen from today, which explains why Gothic and Old Norse could use the word for “tomorrow”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|322)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''gesteron'' is first recorded in the Tatian (about 830) and ''gesterēn'' in Otfrid (863–871), both meaning “yesterday”.^(Köbler AHD)^(Schützeichel 2012|127) The glosses use it for Latin ''heri'' and ''hesternum'', and ''bifora gesteren'' for “the day before yesterday”.^(EWA|4, 190)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Besides the day before today, the word came to stand for the recent past.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE) Luther's translation of Job 8:9, ''Denn wir sind von gestern her vnd wissen nichts'' “for we are but of yesterday and know nothing”, gave the phrase ''von gestern sein'' “to be naive, behind the times”;^(Paul 2002)^(Duden GWDS 1999) ''nicht von gestern sein'' “to know what's what” is recorded from the end of the 18th century, in Lessing.^(Paul 2002)^(Duden GWDS 1999) Jean Paul used ''das Gestern'' for the past.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ The adjective [[gestrig]] goes back to Old High German ''gesterīg'' (about 1000).^(Pfeifer 1993) Schiller's ''das ewig Gestrige'' in ''Wallensteins Tod'' gave the noun ''Ewiggestrige'', for people who cling to the past, especially to National Socialism.^(Paul 2002) [[vorgestern]] is recorded from the 15th century.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 830 – Old High German ''gesteron'' appears in the Tatian.^(Köbler AHD)

+ * 863–871 – Otfrid uses ''gesterēn''.^(Köbler AHD)

+ * c. 1000 – The adjective ''gesterīg'' is recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 15th century – ''vorgestern'' is recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 16th century – Luther's Job 8:9 has ''wir sind von gestern her''.^(Paul 2002)

+ * Late 18th century – ''nicht von gestern sein'' appears, in Lessing.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # [[m|en|yesterday]], on the day before today: ''Gestern Abend hat es geschneit.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # In the recent past, [[m|en|formerly]]: ''Was gestern modern war, ist heute vergessen.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[gestrig]]

+ * [[vorgestern]]

+ * [[Gestern]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en|yesterday]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Von gestern sein'' (colloquial) is to be old-fashioned or naive, after Job 8:9;^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Paul 2002) ''nicht von gestern sein'' is to be nobody's fool.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}