ehemalig German · revision 34994

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1670, Zesen}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈeːəˌmaːlɪç/, /ˈeːəˌmaːlɪk/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ehemalig''' (strong nominative masculine singular ehemaliger, not comparable)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|de|ehemals|-ig]], an adjective from the adverb “formerly”;^(Wiktionary)^(Wiktionary DE) the Grimms' revised dictionary derives it from the variant [[ehemal]].^(DWB2|7, 137) The adverb is [[gmh|ēmāles]], a phrase of the preposition [[m|gmh|ē|t=before]] with the genitive of [[m|gmh|māl|t=point in time]], the noun that is now [[Mal]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary)^(DWB2|7, 137) It served as the model for [[jemals]] and [[niemals]].^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ The preposition is the word that is now [[ehe]], a shortened form of [[eher]].^(Duden 7 2020|223)^(Kluge 2011|228) The noun goes back to the Indo-European root [[ine-pro|*mē-|t=to measure]] and is related to [[got|𐌼𐌴𐌻|tr=mēl|t=time]].^(Kluge 2011|595)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The Grimms' revised dictionary first records the adjective in 1670, in Zesen's ''Assenat'': ''itzund gedenke ich an mein ehmahliges verbrechen'' “now I recall my former crime”.^(DWB2|7, 137) The adverb ''ehemals'' itself goes back to Middle High German, where Gottfried von Strassburg wrote ''e males'' around 1210.^(DWB2|7, 137)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The adjective is used only attributively, and its records grow much more frequent from the 18th century.^(DWB2|7, 137) Wieland used it often, as in ''die ehemaligen misvergnügten'' “the former malcontents”.^(DWB|3, 45) With words for time it meant “of old, bygone”, as in ''ehemahliger zeit'' (1696) and ''in ehemaligen uralten zeiten'' (1796).^(DWB2|7, 137) An uninflected form occurs before place names in phrases of ownership, such as ''der ehmalig kloppheimer gemarkung'' (1786).^(DWB2|7, 137)

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+ As a noun, ''Ehemalige'' are former pupils of a school, and in slang ''ihr Ehemaliger'' or ''seine Ehemalige'' is a former husband or boyfriend, wife or girlfriend.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1670 – First record, in Zesen's ''Assenat''.^(DWB2|7, 137)

+ * 1696 – ''Ehemahliger zeit'' “in former times” is recorded.^(DWB2|7, 137)

+ * 18th century – Records of the adjective become much more frequent.^(DWB2|7, 137)

+ * 1786 – An uninflected ''ehmalig'' is recorded before a place name.^(DWB2|7, 137)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|former]], [[m|en|erstwhile]], onetime (only before a noun): ''der ehemalige Bürgermeister'';^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) ''unsere ehemalige Schule''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # As a noun, ''Ehemalige'': former pupils of a school;^(Duden GWDS 1999) ''(slang)'' ''ihr Ehemaliger'', ''seine Ehemalige'': her former husband or boyfriend, his former wife or girlfriend.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ehemals]]

+ * [[ehedem]]

+ * [[einstig]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}