Eltern German · revision 34979

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈɛltərn/, [ˈʔɛl.tɐn]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Eltern''' ''pl'' (plural only)^(Wiktionary)

+ The spelling ''Ältern'' was frequent in the 16th century and still demanded by Adelung; the spelling with ''E'' won through once the link with ''alt'' was no longer felt.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|eltern]], [[inh|goh|eltiron]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*aldizōn-]], the plural of the comparative of [[alt]] used as a noun: “the older ones”.^(Kluge 2011|243)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden GWDS 1999) The same word is [[osx|eldiron]], [[ang|eldran]] and [[ofs|elder]], and today [[nl|ouders]] and [[en|elders]].^(Kluge 2011|243)^(Pfeifer 1993) Kluge compares [[got|𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌹𐌶𐌰𐌽𐍃|tr=airizans|t=ancestors]], formed from [[m|got|𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌹𐍃|tr=airis|t=earlier]].^(Kluge 2011|243) Other substantivised comparatives are [[Herr]] and [[Jünger]].^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is recorded from the 8th or 9th century in glosses, where ''altirom'' translates Latin ''parentibus'', and in Tatian.^(DWB2|7, 1242)^(Köbler AHD)^(Kluge 2011|243) Old High German had both ''altiron'' and ''eltiron'', with umlaut.^(Kluge 2011|243)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From “the elders” the sense narrowed to “father and mother”, often set against ''Kinder''; in Early New High German it could also mean “ancestors”, as in ''die ersten Eltern'' for Adam and Eve.^(Paul 2002)^(FWB) The Grimms note that it was also used of animals.^(DWB|3, 418) In genetics a back-formed singular ''Elter'' was used from 1903, but ''Elternteil'' is the usual word.^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 8th/9th century – ''altirom'' glosses Latin ''parentibus''.^(DWB2|7, 1242)

+ * 1227 – Middle Low German ''elderen'' appears in a charter.^(DWB2|7, 1242)

+ * 16th century – ''elterlich'' and ''elternlos'' are recorded, and the spelling ''Ältern'' is frequent.^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * Early 19th century – ''Elternhaus'' is recorded.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1860 – ''Nicht von schlechten Eltern'' is recorded as a popular phrase.^(DWB2|7, 1242)

+ * 1903 – The back-formed singular ''Elter'' appears in genetics.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|parents|alt=Parents]]: father and mother.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Elternhaus]]

+ * [[elterlich]]

+ * [[elternlos]]

+ * [[Elternteil]]

+ * [[Elternschaft]]

+ * [[Großeltern]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[alt]]

+ * [[älter]]

+ * [[en|elder]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Nicht von schlechten Eltern sein'' (colloquial) means “to be quite something, not bad at all”, said of a blow, a joke or an achievement;^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Paul 2002) Paul dates it to the first half of the 19th century.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}