zahlreich German · revision 34959

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound}}

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+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * [ˈtsaːlʁaɪ̯ç]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''zahlreich''' (strong nominative masculine singular zahlreicher, comparative zahlreicher, superlative am zahlreichsten)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a compound [[af|de|Zahl|reich|t1=number|t2=rich]], literally “rich in number”.^(Wiktionary)^(Wiktionary DE)^(DWB|31, 70) The second element is used here as in other adjective compounds such as [[erfolgreich]] and [[wasserreich]].^(Pfeifer 1993) The Low German form [[m|nds|talryk]] was recorded by Kramer in 1719.^(DWB|31, 70)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The Grimms' dictionary cites it from the dictionaries of Rädlein and Frisch and explains it as “consisting of many units”; at first it probably referred to a crowd of visible units, especially persons: ''ein zahlreiches Volk'', ''eine zahlreiche Familie'', ''ein zahlreiches Gefolge''.^(DWB|31, 70) Adelung defines it as “rich in number, consisting of many units or individuals”, of a people or a library.^(Adelung 1793)

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+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Gottsched speaks of ''einer so zahlreichen Menge von Zuhörern'', and Schiller, Goethe, Ranke and Mommsen use it of crowds, followings, parties and populations.^(DWB|31, 70) In modern German the plural use, “many, numerous”, is the most frequent: ''zahlreiche Unfälle'' are a great many accidents.^(Duden GWDS 1999) The Lehnwortportal lists [[nl|talrijk]], recorded in 1642, among the words taken from German.^(LWP)

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+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1642 – Dutch ''talrijk'' is recorded.^(LWP)

+ * 1719 – Low German ''talryk'' in Kramer's dictionary.^(DWB|31, 70)

+ * 18th century – Gottsched, Haller and Wieland use it of crowds and followings.^(DWB|31, 70)

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+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|numerous|alt=Numerous]], very many: ''zahlreiche Besucher''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Consisting of many people or things, large: ''eine zahlreiche Verwandtschaft''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

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+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Zahl]]

+ * [[reich]]

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}