Hand German · revision 34948

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=8th century, Old High German glosses|origins=gem-pro *handuz}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /hant/, [hɑnd̥]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Hand''' ''f'' (genitive Hand, plural Hände, diminutive Händchen n or Händlein n or Handerl n)^(Wiktionary)

+ The word was originally a u-stem, so the dative plural long had the form ''Handen'' without umlaut.^(Paul 2002)^(EWA|4, 814) It survives in [[abhanden]], [[vorhanden]] and ''zu Handen'', and the old genitive plural in [[allerhand]].^(Paul 2002)^(Duden 7 2020) With measures the plural is ''Hand'': ''zwei Hand breit''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|hant]], [[inh|goh|hant]], [[inh|gem-pro|*handuz|t=hand]].^(Kluge 2011|391)^(Wiktionary)^(Orel 2003) The same word is [[got|𐌷𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌿𐍃|tr=handus]], [[non|hǫnd]], [[ang|hond]], [[ofs|hand]] and [[osx|hand]].^(Kluge 2011|391)^(Orel 2003)

+

+ Its origin is disputed.^(Kluge 2011|391) The usual view connects it with the Germanic verb seen in [[got|𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌷𐌹𐌽𐌸𐌰𐌽|tr=frahinþan|t=to take captive]] and [[m|got|𐌷𐌿𐌽𐌸𐍃|tr=hunþs|t=captivity]], so that the hand would be “the grasper”.^(Kluge 2011|391)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020) Kluge points out that this is difficult, because Germanic has no agent nouns of this kind.^(Kluge 2011|391) The EWA thinks it most likely that the verb comes from a root [[ine-pro|*ḱent-|t=to prick]], as in [[grc|κεντέω|tr=kentéō|t=to prick]], and that an action noun “grasping” became an agent noun; it also discusses a derivation from [[m|ine-pro|*tek-|t=to stretch out the hand, receive]].^(EWA|4, 814) Pfeifer reports that no link outside Germanic can be proved, so that de Vries thought of a pre-Indo-European substrate.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ Old High German moved the word into the i-declension; only the dative plural [[m|goh|hantum]] kept the old u-stem ending.^(EWA|4, 814)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''hant'' is recorded in glosses from the third quarter of the 8th century and in most early texts, meaning “hand, arm”, but also “power, possession, protection”, “side” and “army”.^(Köbler AHD)^(EWA|4, 814) Phrases such as ''zi henti geban'' “to hand over” and ''in hant gineman'' “to take up” are already found.^(Schützeichel 2012|140)^(EWA|4, 814)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The hand plays a part in many symbolic acts, and the language keeps phrases for gestures no longer made: ''für jemanden die Hand ins Feuer legen'' “to vouch for someone”, ''jemandem die Hand seiner Tochter geben'', and the Austrian greeting ''küss die Hand''.^(Paul 2002) Medieval law spoke of a promise ''mit Hand und Mund'' “by hand and mouth”, from the end of the 13th century.^(Paul 2002) Because the hand does most work, many phrases express activity, even mental work: ''alle Hände voll zu tun haben'', ''keine Hand rühren'', ''freie Hand haben''.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ From “hand” came the sense “side” (''linker Hand'' “on the left”) and in Middle High German “kind”, which survives in [[allerhand]].^(Duden 7 2020)^(Paul 2002) Many compounds are old: ''Handschuh'' “glove” is recorded in the 9th century, ''Handbuch'' in the 15th century as a translation of Latin ''manuale'', and ''Handstreich'' “surprise attack” in the early 19th century as a translation of French ''coup de main''.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wahrig Herkunftswörterbuch) ''Das Handtuch werfen'' “to throw in the towel” comes from boxing in the 20th century.^(Pfeifer 1993) In sport ''Hand'' is short for ''Handspiel'' “handball”.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 8th century – Old High German ''hant'' in glosses.^(Köbler AHD)^(Kluge 2011|391)

+ * 9th century – ''hantscuoh'' “glove” and ''hanthaba'' “handle”.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * Late 13th century – The legal formula ''mit Hand und Mund''.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 14th century – ''abhanden'', literally “from the hands”.^(Duden 7 2020)

+ * 15th century – ''vorhanden'' “at hand”, ''Handbuch'' and ''Handschrift''.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020)

+ * 17th century – ''aushändigen'' and ''Handgemenge''.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * Early 19th century – ''Handstreich'' as a translation of ''coup de main''.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[m|en|hand]], the part of the arm formed by the wrist, palm and five fingers, used for holding and grasping.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(figurative)'' Possession, control or [[m|en|power]]: ''in sicheren Händen'';^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Paul 2002) ''die öffentliche Hand'' “the state as owner of public property”.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Paul 2002)

+ # ''(dated)'' [[m|en|handwriting|alt=Handwriting]].^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Side, in ''linker Hand'', ''rechter Hand'' “on the left, on the right”.^(Duden 7 2020)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # ''(football)'' Short for [[Handspiel]]: [[m|en|handball]].^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(boxing jargon)'' A punch.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(cards)'' In skat, a game played without taking up the skat.^(Wiktionary DE)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[handeln]]

+ * [[handlich]]

+ * [[aushändigen]]

+ * [[behände]]

+ * [[abhanden]]

+ * [[vorhanden]]

+ * [[allerhand]]

+ * [[Oberhand]]

+ * [[überhandnehmen]]

+ * [[Handschuh]]

+ * [[Handschrift]]

+ * [[Handbuch]]

+ * [[Handtuch]]

+ * [[handhaben]]

+ * [[Handlanger]]

+ * [[handgreiflich]]

+ * [[Hantel]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en|hand]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Duden explains several idioms: ''Hand aufs Herz!'' “honestly!” refers to the old custom of laying the hand on the heart when swearing an oath;^(Duden 7 2020) ''Hand und Fuß haben'' “to be well thought out” first meant that a person was not maimed and so could be relied on; and ''die Hand für jemanden ins Feuer legen'' refers to medieval ordeals by fire.^(Duden 7 2020)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}