Leben German · revision 34927

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 1000, Old High German|origins=gem-pro *libjaną}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈleːbən/, [ˈleːbm̩], [ˈleːb(ə)n]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Leben''' ''n'' (genitive Lebens, plural Leben)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|leben]], [[inh|goh|lebēn|t=life, way of life]], the infinitive of the verb [[leben]] used as a noun.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2014)^(Duden GWDS 1999) In the older language the word for “life” was [[goh|līb]], the ancestor of [[Leib]]; as that word turned to the sense “body”, the infinitive used as a noun took its place, rarely in late Old High German and often in Middle High German.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DWB|12, 409)^(Duden 7 2014) Gothic formed the noun [[m|got|𐌻𐌹𐌱𐌰𐌹𐌽𐍃|tr=libains]] from the verb, and English kept the old word in [[m|en|life]].^(DWB|12, 409)

+

+ The verb is [[gem-pro|*libjaną|t=to live]], also continued by [[got|𐌻𐌹𐌱𐌰𐌽|tr=liban]], [[non|lifa]] and [[ang|libban]].^(Wiktionary)^(Kluge 2011|565) Kluge and Kroonen take it as the durative or stative verb beside the strong verb of [[bleiben]], so that it first meant “to remain”;^(Kluge 2011|565)^(Kroonen 2013) the meaning “to remain” is still found in Old Norse.^(DWB|12, 397)^(Kroonen 2013) Wiktionary traces it to [[ine-pro|*leyp-|t=to stick, remain]],^(Wiktionary) and the Duden to the root [[ine-pro|*lei-|t=to be slimy, sticky]] of [[Leim]].^(Duden 7 2014)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The noun is recorded from about 1000, in Notker, Otloh's prayer and the glosses, meaning “life, existence, way of life, lifetime” and “dealings with others”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Köbler AHD)^(Schützeichel 2012|194) It was declined as an infinitive at first: Otloh prays to enjoy ''alla mînes lebannes'' (“all my life”).^(DWB|12, 409)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The infinitival declension lasted long, but the ordinary neuter declension appeared as the word became a full noun, as in the Nibelungenlied's ''ob wir bî lebene bestân'' (“if we stay alive”).^(DWB|12, 409) Middle High German ''leben'' also meant “way of life, rank, religious order”.^(Pfeifer 1993) A plural is still rare, because the word grew out of an infinitive.^(DWB|12, 409) The sense “lively activity, bustle” is modern.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ''Lebenslauf'' (17th century) translates Latin ''curriculum vitae'', ''Lebensmittel'' “food” dates from the 17th century, and ''Lebensqualität'' (second half of the 20th century) follows English ''quality of life''.^(Duden 7 2014)^(Pfeifer 1993) ''Lebensraum'' was borrowed into Hebrew, and English took ''Lebensform'' in 1937.^(LWP)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1000 – Old High German ''lebēn'' “life” appears in Notker.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Köbler AHD)

+ * 17th century – ''Lebenslauf'' and ''Lebensmittel'' are recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2014)

+ * 1937 – English records the borrowing ''Lebensform''.^(LWP)

+ * Second half of the 20th century – ''Lebensqualität'' is formed after English ''quality of life''.^(Duden 7 2014)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|life|alt=Life]], the state of being alive; existence: ''Leben und Tod''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The time from birth to death, a [[m|en|lifetime]]: ''ihr ganzes Leben lang''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A person's way of living or circumstances: ''ein ruhiges Leben führen''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Lively activity, [[m|en|bustle]]: ''auf dem Markt war viel Leben''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ # An account of someone's life, a [[m|en|biography]].^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(games)'' One of the tries left to a player after a virtual death.^(Wiktionary DE)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Lebenslauf]]

+ * [[Lebensmittel]]

+ * [[Lebensqualität]]

+ * [[Lebensraum]]

+ * [[Lebenszeit]]

+ * [[Lebensart]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[leben]]

+ * [[Leib]]

+ * [[bleiben]]

+ * [[lebendig]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Ums Leben kommen'' is to lose one's life in an accident, and ''sich das Leben nehmen'' to kill oneself.^(Duden GWDS 1999) ''Das ewige Leben'' is the Christian life in eternity.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}