letzt German · revision 34903

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=9th century, Old High German|origins=goh laz}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''letzt''' (adjective, used only with an inflectional ending: ''der letzte'', ''ein letzter''; uninflected only as a dated adverb)^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ In Middle High German the contracted form ''lest'' prevailed, and it is still found in written sources until the end of the 15th century.^(DWB|12, 809) Bavarian ''lest'', ''lescht'' and Vorarlberg ''z'lescht'' “at last” continue it.^(DWB|12, 809)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|lezzist]], contracted [[m|gmh|lest]], [[inh|goh|lezzist]], beside [[m|goh|lazzōst]], the superlative of the adjective that survives as [[lass]] “weary, slack” ([[m|goh|laz]]), so that it first meant “the slowest, the most sluggish”.^(Kluge 2011|573)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020) Paul thinks it first named the slowest member of a procession, the one who came last.^(Paul 2002) The corresponding superlative is [[osx|lazto]], and [[nl|laatst]] and [[en|last]] are related; the English word comes from [[ang|latost]], the superlative of [[m|ang|læt|t=slow, late]].^(Kluge 2011|573)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DWB|12, 809)

+

+ The modern form with ⟨tz⟩ is not the Upper German one.^(Kluge 2011|573)^(Duden 7 2020) Kluge and the Duden trace it to the Low German form, which goes back to the Old Saxon word with early syncope and spread in the 15th century and replaced the contracted High German form;^(Kluge 2011|573)^(Duden 7 2020) Paul finds it first around 1400 in Central German manuscripts and also derives it from Middle Low German.^(Paul 2002) Pfeifer records the Central German form with ⟨z⟩ in the 14th century and then the one with an inserted /t/,^(Pfeifer 1993) and the Grimms' dictionary explains the /t/ as one that developed before the superlative suffix.^(DWB|12, 809)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''leʒʒisto'' “last, extreme, youngest” is recorded in the Tatian (about 830) and in Notker.^(Köbler AHD)^(Pfeifer 1993) The adverbial phrase ''zi lezzist'' “at last, finally” appears in Otfrid (863–871), Notker and Otloh's prayer, always with the preposition ''zi''.^(Schützeichel 2012|199)^(Köbler AHD)^(AWB|5, 872)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the last member of a series the word came to be used of any spatial and temporal order, and especially of the events before death: ''letzte Worte'', ''letzte Ölung'' “extreme unction”, ''letzter Wille'' “last will”.^(Paul 2002) Understood of what has just happened, it took on the sense “most recent”, as in ''letzten Sonntag''.^(Paul 2002) As an adverb, ''letzt'' meant “lately”, as in Goethe's ''Götz'', but ''letzthin'' (17th century) has replaced it.^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden GWDS 1999) It also expresses the highest degree: ''das Letzte aus sich herausholen'' “to give one's utmost”, and ''das ist doch das Letzte!'' “that's the limit!”.^(Paul 2002)^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ Once ''letzt'' was no longer felt as a superlative, a comparative ''letzterer'' “the latter” was formed from it: around 1600 according to Pfeifer, in the 17th century according to the Duden.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020) Paul notes that Lessing and Schiller still used it simply for “last”.^(Paul 2002) ''Letztens'', on the model of ''erstens'' and ''zweitens'', and ''letztlich'' “in the end” date from the 16th century.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 830 – Old High German ''leʒʒisto'' is used in the Tatian.^(Köbler AHD)

+ * 863–871 – Otfrid has ''zi lezzist'' “at last”.^(Schützeichel 2012|199)^(Köbler AHD)

+ * 14th century – Central German ''lezt'' and then ''letzt'' are recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * c. 1400 – The form with ⟨tz⟩ appears in Central German manuscripts.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 15th century – The Low German form spreads and replaces ''lest'' in the written language.^(Duden 7 2020)^(DWB|12, 809)

+ * 16th century – ''letztens'' and ''letztlich'' are formed.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020)

+ * c. 1600 – The comparative ''letzterer'' “the latter” appears.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)

+ * 17th century – ''letzthin'' “lately” is recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Coming at the [[m|en|end]] of a series, [[m|en|last]]: ''der letzte Zug nach Hamburg''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Remaining as the last of something: ''unsere letzten Vorräte''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(expressing the highest degree)'' [[m|en|utmost]], extreme: ''mit letzter Anstrengung''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # Lowest in rank or quality.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # Most [[m|en|recent]], immediately past: ''im letzten Sommer''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # ''(dated)'' [[m|en|lately]], the last time.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[letzterer]]

+ * [[letztens]]

+ * [[letztlich]]

+ * [[letzthin]]

+ * [[zuletzt]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[lass]]

+ * [[lässig]]

+ * [[en|last]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The phrase ''zu guter Letzt'' “finally, in the end” does not contain the adjective, but a feminine noun, Early New High German ''letze'' “farewell, farewell meal”, later associated with ''letzt''.^(Kluge 2011|573)^(Paul 2002)^(Duden GWDS 1999) Kluge derives that noun from an old verb ''letzen'' “to refresh”, while the Duden dictionary connects it with ''letzen'' “to hinder, put an end to”.^(Kluge 2011|573)^(Duden GWDS 1999) Paul quotes ''zu guter Letze'' from Blumauer (1784).^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}