Gespräch German · revision 35044

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 800, Old High German|origins=gmw-pro *sprǣkō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ɡəˈʃpʁɛːç/, /ɡəˈʃpʁeːç/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Gespräch''' ''n'' (genitive Gespräches or Gesprächs, plural Gespräche)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|gespræche]], [[inh|goh|gisprāhhi|t=eloquence, speech, conversation]], a collective noun formed with [[m|goh|gi-]] from [[goh|sprāhha|t=speech, language]] (see [[Sprache]]).^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|321)^(Paul 2002)^(DWB|5, 4161) Wiktionary traces it to [[gem-pro|*gasprakją]].^(Wiktionary) The same formation is [[dum|ghespraeck]], [[nl|gesprek]] and [[gml|gesprake]].^(DWB|5, 4161)^(Wiktionary)

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+ The base noun goes back to [[gmw-pro|*sprǣkō|t=speech]], an abstract noun to [[sprechen]].^(Kluge 2011|871) The modern form is shortened from ⟨Gespräche⟩, which Christian Weise, Steinbach and Rückert still used.^(DWB|5, 4161)^(Paul 2002)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''gisprāhhi'' is recorded about 800, and the feminine ''gisprāhhī'' in the 10th century; they meant “eloquence, speech, talk”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Köbler AHD) Williram (11th century) uses ''gesbrâche'' for the gift of speech, and Notker has the related adjective ''gisprāhhi'' “eloquent”.^(DWB|5, 4161)^(Köbler AHD)

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+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Old and Middle High German the word had a wide range: the faculty of speech, a way of speaking or pronunciation, a speech, a deliberation or assembly, and a conversation.^(DWB|5, 4161)^(Köbler MHD)^(FWB) Luther still used it for “speech, utterance” (Job 37:2).^(Paul 2002) The sense “exchange of talk between people” then prevailed, both informal (Goethe's ''Faust'': ''ein Gespräch von Krieg und Kriegsgeschrei'') and formal, as in a negotiation or a disputation such as the Marburg ''Religionsgespräch'' of 1529 between Luther and Zwingli.^(Paul 2002)^(FWB)

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+ Adelung defined it around 1800 as a friendly conversation, especially about indifferent matters, and also recorded the senses “rumour” and “subject of talk” (''das Gespräch der ganzen Stadt'').^(Adelung 1793)^(Paul 2002) In literature it named a written dialogue, as in Wieland's ''Gespräch unter vier Augen''.^(Paul 2002) In modern German it also means a telephone call.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

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+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 800 – Old High German ''gisprāhhi'' “speech, eloquence”.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 10th century – The feminine ''gisprāhhī'' is recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * c. 1150 – Middle High German ''gespræche'' in the ''Speculum ecclesiae''.^(Köbler MHD)

+ * 1529 – The Marburg ''Religionsgespräch'' between Luther and Zwingli.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 15th century – ''Gesprächigkeit'' “talkativeness” appears.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 19th century – ''Gesprächsstoff'' “subject of conversation” is formed.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|conversation]], talk or discussion between people about a subject.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(in the plural)'' Talks, [[m|en|negotiation|alt=negotiations]] between parties or states.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # A telephone call.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' A subject of talk: ''Die Hochzeit war das Gespräch des ganzen Dorfes.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Adelung 1793)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[gesprächig]]

+ * [[Gesprächigkeit]]

+ * [[Gesprächsstoff]]

+ * [[Telefongespräch]]

+ * [[Selbstgespräch]]

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+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Sprache]]

+ * [[sprechen]]

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+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Im Gespräch sein'' is to be under discussion, for example as a candidate, and ''mit jemandem im Gespräch bleiben'' is to stay in contact with someone.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}