Spieler German · revision 35040

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=9th century, Old High German glosses|origins=gmw-pro *spila-}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Spieler''' ''m'' (genitive Spielers, plural Spieler)^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ The feminine is ''Spielerin''.^(Adelung 1793)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|spilære]], [[inh|goh|spilāri|t=drummer, dancer, actor, player]], a noun of agent [[af|goh|spil|-āri]] or from the verb [[m|goh|spilōn|t=to play]] (see [[Spiel]] and [[spielen]]).^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Köbler AHD)^(Duden GWDS 1999) The Grimms note that the formation is found only on the Continent: [[gml|speler]] and [[dum|spēler]].^(DWB|16, 2388)

+

+ The base noun is [[m|goh|spil]], [[gmw-pro|*spila-]], found only in continental West Germanic; the Scandinavian forms and [[ang|spilian]] are borrowings.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Kluge 2011|867) Its origin is unknown; its first sense seems to have been “dance, dancing movement”.^(Kluge 2011|867)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|801)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''spilāri'' appears in glosses of the third quarter of the 9th century, rendering Latin ''tympanista'' “drummer”, ''histrio'' and ''satyrus''.^(Köbler AHD)^(DWB|16, 2388) Köbler gives its senses as player, actor, wrestler, competitor and musician.^(Köbler AHD) Middle High German ''spilære'' is recorded from 1233–1267, chiefly for a dice player or gambler.^(Köbler MHD)^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The Grimms describe ''Spieler'' as someone who plays, habitually or on a single occasion, with the particular game made clear by context or by a compound, as in [[Schauspieler]], [[Brettspieler]] and ''Taschenspieler'' “conjurer”.^(DWB|16, 2388)^(Adelung 1793) Used of musicians and actors in Early New High German, it was later restricted to actors, while musicians were called ''Spielleute'' or ''Musikanten''.^(DWB|16, 2388)^(Adelung 1793) Without a further qualification it meant a gambler: Adelung defines the ''Spieler'' as someone for whom playing for money has become a passion.^(Adelung 1793)^(DWB|16, 2388)

+

+ In card games the ''Spieler'' is the one who plays a hand, as opposed to one who passes.^(Adelung 1793) The modern usual sense, a member of a team in a ball game, is the Grimms' rare sense of ball and parlour games.^(DWB|16, 2388)^(Duden GWDS 1999) English borrowed ''spieler'' in 1859 in the sense “swindler”.^(LWP)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Third quarter of the 9th century – Old High German ''spilāri'' in glosses.^(Köbler AHD)

+ * 1233–1267 – Middle High German ''spilære'' is recorded.^(Köbler MHD)

+ * 1793 – Adelung defines the gambler as the ''Spieler'' proper.^(Adelung 1793)

+ * 1859 – English ''spieler'' “swindler” is recorded.^(LWP)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|player]] taking part in a game or a sport, especially a member of a team.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # A [[m|en|gambler]], someone addicted to games of chance.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # ''(less common)'' Someone who plays a musical instrument.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # ''(rare)'' Short for [[Schauspieler]], an actor.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Spielerin]]

+ * [[spielerisch]]

+ * [[Gegenspieler]]

+ * [[Mitspieler]]

+ * [[Fußballspieler]]

+ * [[Schauspieler]]

+ * [[Glücksspieler]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Spiel]]

+ * [[spielen]]

+ * [[Spielmann]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}