zwar German · revision 34905

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=8th century, Old High German}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /tsvaːr/, [t͡sʋaː(ɐ̯)], [t͡sʋaːʁ]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''zwar''' (adverb, not inflected)^(Wiktionary)

+ Dialect and older forms include ''zwaren'', Central German ''zwarten'', used by Luther, and Low German ''twars''.^(DWB|32, 949)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|zwāre]], a contraction of [[m|gmh|ze wāre|t=in truth]], [[inh|goh|zi wāre|t=truly, indeed]].^(Kluge 2011|1018)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary) The phrase consists of the preposition [[zu]] and the neuter of [[wahr]] used as a noun, as in [[fürwahr]].^(Kluge 2011|1018)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|958) The same phrase is [[gml|twāre]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ The concessive use developed first in Middle Low German: an assurance of truth was followed by an objection.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary) Kluge notes that a confirmation is a common starting point for a concession, as with [[gewiss]].^(Kluge 2011|1018)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''zi wāre'' is recorded from the 8th century, meaning “in truth, truly, indeed, certainly”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary DE) Adelung cites the form ''ziuuare'' from Isidor.^(Adelung 1793)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Middle High German ''zewāre'', from Lamprecht's ''Alexander'' (1150–1170) on, still meant “truly, certainly”.^(Köbler MHD) The contracted ''zwar'' is found in Early New High German from the 15th century.^(Pfeifer 1993) The Grimms' dictionary shows the passage from assurance to concession in 16th-century texts; once an objection followed, ''zwar'' became a concessive word answered by ''aber'', ''doch'' or ''allein''.^(DWB|32, 949)^(Paul 2002) Adelung, around 1800, still recognized the older sense of assurance as the first one.^(Adelung 1793)

+

+ ''Und zwar'', introducing a closer description, dates from the 16th century.^(Paul 2002) Goethe once separated the two words: ''ist die Nacht das halbe Leben, und die schönste Hälfte zwar''.^(Paul 2002) With [[ob]] it formed the conjunction [[obzwar]].^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 8th century – Old High German ''zi wāre'' “in truth” is recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1150–1170 – Middle High German ''zewāre'' is used in Lamprecht's ''Alexander''.^(Köbler MHD)

+ * 15th century – Contracted ''zwar'' appears.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 16th century – ''zwar'' is used as a concessive, and ''und zwar'' appears.^(DWB|32, 949)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # With ''aber'' or ''doch'': admittedly, it is true that: ''das Hotel ist zwar teuer, aber sehr schön''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # In ''und zwar'': [[m|en|namely]], to be precise: ''ich komme morgen, und zwar um acht''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # In ''und zwar'': adds force to a request or order: ''räum dein Zimmer auf, und zwar sofort!''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[obzwar]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[wahr]]

+ * [[zu]]

+ * [[fürwahr]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}