Frage German · revision 34916

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 800, Old High German glosses|origins=ine-pro *preḱ-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈfʁaːɡə/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Frage''' ''f'' (genitive Frage, plural Fragen)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|vrāge]], [[inh|goh|frāga]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*frāgu]], [[inh|gem-pro|*frēgō|t=question]].^(Kluge 2011|313)^(Wiktionary)^(Kroonen 2013) Pfeifer and the Duden count the noun as found only in German and Dutch ([[nl|vraag]]);^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020) the revised Grimm dictionary also lists [[ofs|frēge]].^(DWB2|9, 857) Old Saxon has only the verb [[m|osx|frāgon]].^(Kluge 2011|313)^(Pfeifer 1993) It is an abstract noun with the lengthened vowel grade of a strong verb [[gem-pro|*frehnaną|t=to ask]], lost in German but kept in [[got|𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌹𐌷𐌽𐌰𐌽|tr=fraihnan]], [[non|fregna]] and [[ang|frignan]];^(Kluge 2011|313)^(Kroonen 2013)^(Duden 7 2020) Old High German has it only in the Wessobrunn Prayer, as [[m|goh|gafregin]].^(Kluge 2011|313)^(Kroonen 2013)^(Duden 7 2020) The verb [[fragen]] was formed from the noun, although it is better attested.^(Kluge 2011|313)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Kroonen 2013)

+

+ The root is [[ine-pro|*preḱ-|t=to ask]], also in [[la|precor|t=I ask, pray]], [[cu|просити|tr=prositi|t=to ask for]] and [[lt|piršti|t=to woo for someone]].^(Kluge 2011|313)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary) An extended form of the same root is behind [[forschen]].^(Kluge 2011|313)^(Duden 7 2020)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Pfeifer dates a rarer form ''frāha'' to about 800 and ''frāga'' to the 9th century;^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Köbler AHD) Köbler's first record is a gloss of the second quarter of the 9th century.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Köbler AHD) Otfrid (863–871) and Notker use it for “question”, and it also meant “inquiry” and “thesis, proposition”.^(DWB2|9, 857)^(Schützeichel 2012|112)^(Köbler AHD)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the older language of the courts ''Frage'' meant “interrogation”;^(Paul 2002) ''peinliche Frage'' was still “torture” in Adelung, and ''Frage und Antwort'' remained a formula into the 19th century.^(Paul 2002) From the 18th century fixed phrases multiplied: ''es ist die Frage, ob'' “it is uncertain whether”, later ''ohne Frage'' “certainly”, ''in Frage kommen'' and ''in Frage stellen''.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ [[Fragezeichen]] (16th century) translates Latin ''signum interrogationis''.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020) [[fragwürdig]], first “worth asking about”, was formed by A. W. Schlegel to render English ''questionable'' in his translation of ''Hamlet'', and later came to mean “doubtful”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020)^(Wahrig Herkunftswörterbuch) The word was borrowed into Yiddish as [[m|yi|פֿראַגע|tr=frage]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 800 – The rarer form ''frāha'' is recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 2nd quarter of the 9th century – ''frāga'' appears in glosses.^(Köbler AHD)

+ * 863–871 – Otfrid uses ''fraga'' “question”.^(DWB2|9, 857)

+ * 16th century – ''Fragezeichen'' is formed after Latin.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020)

+ * Early 17th century – ''fraglich'' appears, common only in the 19th century.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * Late 18th century – A. W. Schlegel coins ''fragwürdig''.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|question]], an utterance asking for an answer: ''eine Frage stellen''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An [[m|en|issue]], a problem or matter to be discussed or settled: ''eine Frage der Zeit''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[fragen]]

+ * [[fraglich]]

+ * [[fraglos]]

+ * [[fragwürdig]]

+ * [[Fragezeichen]]

+ * [[Fragebogen]]

+ * [[Fragestellung]]

+ * [[Gegenfrage]]

+ * [[Nachfrage]]

+ * [[Umfrage]]

+ * [[Gretchenfrage]]

+ * [[Vertrauensfrage]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[forschen]]

+ * [[prekär]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Das kommt nicht in Frage'' means “that is out of the question”, and ''ohne Frage'' means “without doubt”.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}