Saison German · revision 34972

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=borrowing|attested=1674|origins=la satiō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /zɛˈzõː/, /zɛˈzɔŋ/, /sɛˈsoːn/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Saison''' ''f'' (genitive Saison, plural Saisons or Saisonen)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fr|saison|t=season, time of year; suitable time]], borrowed in the later 17th century.^(Kluge 2011|782)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DFWB) The French word probably comes from [[la|satiō|t=sowing, planting]], from [[m|la|serō|t=to sow, plant]], which in Vulgar Latin must have come to mean “time of sowing”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DFWB)^(Duden 7 2014|714) Kluge derives it instead from a colloquial variant of [[m|la|statiō|t=position (of the sun)]], mixed with the noun for sowing.^(Kluge 2011|782) The Latin verb is related to German [[säen]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2014|714)

+

+ The same French word is behind [[en|season]] and [[nl|seizoen]].^(Kluge 2011|782)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The Deutsches Fremdwörterbuch first records the word in 1674, in the general sense “(good, right) time, season”.^(DFWB)^(Paul 2002) It was used especially of farming, trade and travel, and of the right time for visiting spas.^(DFWB)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the season at spas and the summer or winter season of the travelling theatres the word was extended to many areas of cultural and business life, meaning “peak period, main business time”.^(DFWB) French phrases such as ''saison morte'' “the slack summer season” were also used.^(DFWB) It forms many compounds, such as ''Hochsaison'', ''Nachsaison'', ''Badesaison'', ''Spargelsaison'' and ''Saisonarbeiter''.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002) The adjective [[saisonal]] (recorded 1937) was probably influenced by [[en|seasonal]].^(Paul 2002)^(Duden 7 2014|714) Hungarian borrowed the word as [[m|hu|szezon]] (1840).^(LWP)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1674 – First record in German.^(DFWB)^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1698 – A letter speaks of ''die Saison der Zeit'' “the season of the year”.^(DFWB)

+ * 1840 – Hungarian ''szezon'' is recorded.^(LWP)

+ * 1937 – The adjective ''saisonal'' is recorded.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The most important period of the year for something, when it is most available or most frequent or most active: the [[m|en|season]] for asparagus, for skiing, or the main holiday season.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The current period with regard to what is new, for example in [[m|en|fashion]].^(Duden Fremdwörterbuch 2007)^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # In the theatre and in sport, the playing season.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(DFWB)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[saisonal]]

+ * [[Hochsaison]]

+ * [[Nachsaison]]

+ * [[Vorsaison]]

+ * [[Saisonarbeiter]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[säen]]

+ * [[Station]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Saison haben'' (colloquial) is to be in great demand.^(Duden GWDS 1999) Besides ''Saisons'', southern German and Austrian use the plural ''Saisonen''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Duden Fremdwörterbuch 2007)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}