deutlich German · revision 34999

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=14th century|origins=goh diuten}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''deutlich''' (strong nominative masculine singular deutlicher, comparative deutlicher, superlative am deutlichsten)^(Wiktionary)

+ Middle High German and Early New High German also had ''diutelich'', ''deutelich'', with a linking vowel, and in the 16th and 17th centuries an adverb in ''-en'' (''deutelichen'').^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DWB2|6, 806)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|diutlīche]], first only an adverb, formed [[af|gmh|diuten|-lich]], now [[deuten]] and [[-lich]]: “what can easily be interpreted”.^(Kluge 2011|194)^(Wiktionary)^(Wiktionary DE) Related formations are [[gml|dǖdelik]], [[nl|duidelijk]], [[da|tydelig]] and [[sv|tydlig]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DWB2|6, 806)

+

+ The verb is [[goh|diuten|t=to interpret, explain, translate]], also [[gml|dǖden]], [[ang|geþēodan|t=to translate]] and [[non|þýða|t=to interpret, explain]].^(Kluge 2011|194)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(EWA|2, 696) Pfeifer and the Duden take it as a verb derived from [[gem-pro|*þeudō|t=people]], seen in [[got|𐌸𐌹𐌿𐌳𐌰|tr=þiuda]] and in [[deutsch]], with a first sense “to explain before the assembled people”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2007) Kluge objects that semantically it cannot simply be derived from the word for “people”, though it was later associated with it, since Old High German [[m|goh|zi diuta]] meant “in the vernacular”; he points out that the base of that adjective also meant “strength”, and that “strength” often gives words for “meaning”, as in [[grc|δύναμις|tr=dúnamis|t=power; meaning]].^(Kluge 2011|194)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The adverb is recorded in Middle High German, for example in Lichtenstein's ''daz tet er tiuticlîch bekant'' “he made it clearly known”; it is not found in Old High German.^(DWB|2, 1041) The revised Grimm dictionary's first quotation is from Johannes von Frankenstein (about 1300), and Kluge dates the word to the 14th century.^(DWB2|6, 806)^(Kluge 2011|194) It meant “precisely, clearly, intelligibly”.^(FWB)^(DWB2|6, 806)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Early New High German the word was used of clear, precise speech and, more rarely, in the sense “symbolic, figurative”.^(FWB) Luther wrote in 1519 that, to speak ''deutlich'' and plainly, God's name is dishonoured in two ways.^(DWB2|6, 806) It applied both to what is seen or heard and to what is understood: the Grimms list distinct outlines and clear pronunciation beside clear speech and ideas.^(DWB|2, 1041)

+

+ In philosophy, Christian Wolff (1720) contrasted God, who knows everything ''deutlich'', with man, who knows much indistinctly, and Kant distinguished making a clear concept from making a concept clear.^(DWB2|6, 806)^(DWB|2, 1041) The modern language adds the sense “noticeable, considerable” (''deutlich mehr'') and the colloquial ''deutlich werden'' “to speak bluntly”.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) The verb [[verdeutlichen]] dates from the 18th century.^(Duden 7 2007)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1300 – ''dûtlich'' is used by Johannes von Frankenstein.^(DWB2|6, 806)

+ * 14th century – Kluge's date for the word.^(Kluge 2011|194)

+ * 1519 – Luther uses ''deutlich'' “plainly”.^(DWB2|6, 806)

+ * 1720 – Christian Wolff contrasts ''deutlich'' and ''undeutlich'' knowledge.^(DWB2|6, 806)

+ * 18th century – ''verdeutlichen'' “to make clear” appears.^(Duden 7 2007)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|clear]], distinct, easy to perceive: ''eine deutliche Stimme'', ''deutlich schreiben''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Noticeable, [[m|en|considerable]]: ''deutlich kälter'', ''ein deutlicher Rückgang''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Unmistakable, [[m|en|explicit]]: ''eine deutliche Warnung'';^(Duden GWDS 1999) ''deutlich werden'' “to speak bluntly”.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[verdeutlichen]]

+ * [[Deutlichkeit]]

+ * [[undeutlich]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[deuten]]

+ * [[Deutung]]

+ * [[deutsch]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}