frei German · revision 34938

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=late 8th century, Würzburg boundary description|origins=ine-pro *priHós}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /fʁaɪ̯/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''frei''' (strong nominative masculine singular freier, comparative freier, superlative am freiesten or am freisten)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|vrī]], [[inh|goh|frī]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*frī]], [[inh|gem-pro|*frijaz|t=free]].^(Kluge 2011|315)^(Wiktionary)^(Kroonen 2013) The same word is [[got|𐍆𐍂𐌴𐌹𐍃|tr=freis]], [[ang|frēo]], [[ofs|frī]] and [[osx|frīlīk|t=free]], and today [[nl|vrij]] and [[en|free]].^(Kluge 2011|315)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Kroonen 2013) Old Norse has instead [[m|non|frjáls]], which also appears in [[got|𐍆𐍂𐌴𐌹𐌷𐌰𐌻𐍃|tr=freihals|t=freedom]], [[goh|frīhals]] and [[ang|frēols]]: Kluge and Pfeifer explain it as a compound “whose neck is free”.^(Kluge 2011|315)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Kroonen 2013)

+

+ The Germanic adjective matches [[cy|rhydd|t=free]], which must be an inherited cognate.^(Kluge 2011|315)^(Pfeifer 1993) In the other languages the Indo-European adjective meant “own”, then “dear”: [[sa|प्रिय|tr=priyá|t=own, dear]], [[la|proprius|t=own]], and with the verb [[cu|приꙗти|tr=prijati|t=to be favourable, help]].^(Kluge 2011|315)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020) Kroonen and Wiktionary reconstruct [[ine-pro|*priHós|t=beloved]];^(Kroonen 2013)^(Wiktionary) Kluge traces it further to [[ine-pro|*per(ə)i-|t=near, by]], Pfeifer and the Duden to [[ine-pro|*prāi-|t=to like, spare]].^(Kluge 2011|315)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020) The same root gives [[Freund]], [[Friede]], [[freien]] and [[Freitag]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020)

+

+ Only Germanic and Celtic developed the sense “free”.^(Kluge 2011|315)^(Pfeifer 1993) Pfeifer, the Duden and Paul explain it from “belonging to those one loves and protects”, the members of one's own kin, as against the unfree, who were captives and strangers.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020)^(Paul 2002) Kroonen sees in it a society based on clans.^(Kroonen 2013) Kluge thinks rather of phrases such as “one's own children”, used where inheritance mattered.^(Kluge 2011|315)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''frī'' is first recorded in the Würzburg boundary description at the end of the 8th century, which speaks of ''friero Franchono erbi'' “the inheritance of free Franks”.^(DWB2|9, 909)^(Köbler AHD) It then appears in the Tatian, the Benedictine Rule, the Murbach Hymns and Notker, meaning “free, free-born, freed”.^(Schützeichel 2012|113)^(EWA|3, 555)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The word was first a term of rank, opposed to the various kinds of unfree people, among whom were prisoners of war.^(Paul 2002)^(DWB2|9, 909) Later the contrast with captivity came to the fore, as in ''auf freien Fuß setzen'', recorded in 1659.^(Paul 2002) From the rank came political independence, as in ''Freie Stadt'' and [[Freistaat]] (1768), and then the absence of any constraint.^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993) The saying ''Die Gedanken sind frei'' already occurs in Middle High German, as ''gedanke sint vrî'' in Walther von der Vogelweide.^(Lexer 1872|3, 507)^(Paul 2002) Already in Middle High German the word could also be negative, “impudent, shameless”.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ Middle High German ''vrīheit'' meant also “privilege” and “privileged district”, and Middle High German ''vrīlīche'' “unhindered, frankly” gave the modern adverb [[freilich]] “certainly”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020) Several compounds were modelled on English: [[Freidenker]] (18th century) after ''freethinker'', [[Freimaurer]] (18th century) after ''freemason'', and [[Freihandel]] (19th century) after ''free trade''.^(Pfeifer 1993) Modern German also uses ''-frei'' as a suffix-like element, as in ''koffeinfrei''.^(Kluge 2011|315) In eastern Switzerland the word still meant “dear, friendly”.^(EWA|3, 555)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * End of the 8th century – Old High German ''frī'' appears in the Würzburg boundary description.^(DWB2|9, 909)

+ * 9th century – The adjective ''frīlīh'' is recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * Around 1000 – ''frīheit'' is used by Notker.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 14th century – ''freier Geist'' is used for a heretic.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 16th century – ''Freibeuter'' “freebooter” appears.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1659 – ''auff freye fueß gestellt'' is recorded.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1768 – ''Freistaat'' “republic” is recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 18th century – ''Freidenker'' and ''Freimaurer'' are formed after English.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 19th century – ''Freihandel'' is formed after English ''free trade''.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|free]], independent, not bound: ''ein freier Mitarbeiter'' “a freelancer”.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Without aids or a model: ''frei sprechen'' “to speak without notes”, ''eine freie Übersetzung''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # Not bound by convention: ''die freie Liebe''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(chemistry, physics)'' Not bound: ''freie Elektronen''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # Unhindered, [[m|en|unrestricted]]: ''freie Wahlen''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Not imprisoned: ''auf freiem Fuß sein''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Open, uncovered: ''unter freiem Himmel''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # [[m|en|vacant]], unoccupied, available: ''Ist der Platz noch frei?''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Free of charge, [[m|en|gratis]]: ''Eintritt frei''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(football)'' Unmarked.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(with von)'' Free of, without: ''frei von Sorgen''.^(Wiktionary)^(Wiktionary DE)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[befreien]]

+ * [[Befreiung]]

+ * [[Freiheit]]

+ * [[freilich]]

+ * [[freimütig]]

+ * [[Freimut]]

+ * [[freiwillig]]

+ * [[-frei]]

+ * [[Freibeuter]]

+ * [[Freibrief]]

+ * [[Freidenker]]

+ * [[Freigeist]]

+ * [[Freihandel]]

+ * [[Freiherr]]

+ * [[Freimaurer]]

+ * [[Freistaat]]

+ * [[Freizeit]]

+ * [[vogelfrei]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[freien]]

+ * [[Freitag]]

+ * [[Freund]]

+ * [[Frieden]]

+ * [[en|free]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}