schön German · revision 35051

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ʃøːn/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''schön''' (strong nominative masculine singular schöner, comparative schöner, superlative am schönsten)^(Wiktionary)

+ Middle German long resisted the umlaut, which prevailed in Upper German from the 13th century, so unumlauted ''schon'' survived into New High German, as in Luther's Bible (Isaiah 4:2).^(DWB|15, 1464)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|schœne]], [[inh|goh|scōni]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*skaunī]], [[inh|gem-pro|*skauniz|t=beautiful]].^(Kluge 2011|824)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary) The same adjective is [[got|𐍃𐌺𐌰𐌿𐌽𐍃|tr=skauns|t=graceful, comely]], [[ang|scīene]], [[ofs|skēne]] and [[osx|skōni]], and today [[nl|schoon|t=beautiful; clean]] and the poetic [[en|sheen]].^(Kluge 2011|824)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Kroonen 2013)^(Orel 2003)

+

+ It is a verbal adjective with an n-suffix belonging to [[schauen]], so its first sense was “that can be looked at, worth seeing”.^(Kluge 2011|824)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020) Kroonen takes it as formed from a lost strong verb, in parallel with [[got|𐍃𐌹𐌿𐌽𐍃|tr=siuns|t=sight, appearance]] and [[non|sýnn|t=visible]], formed from the verb for “see”, and Pfeifer traces the root to [[ine-pro|*(s)keu-|t=to pay attention, look]].^(Kroonen 2013)^(Pfeifer 1993) The Grimms' dictionary reports that Jacob Grimm thought of a link with [[scheinen]], and finds [[lt|šaunus|alt=šaũnus|t=excellent]] closer than the forms usually compared.^(DWB|15, 1464)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''scōni'' is recorded from the third quarter of the 8th century in glosses, and then in Otfrid, Notker, the ''Georgslied'' and Williram, meaning “beautiful, splendid, shining”, also “good, excellent” and “pleasant”.^(Köbler AHD)^(Schützeichel 2012|291)^(Pfeifer 1993) Adelung, around 1800, held that the oldest sense was “shining, bright, clean”, still alive in Low German and Dutch, where ''schön'' could mean “clean”.^(Adelung 1793)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ At first the word described what pleases the eye, as in Hartmann von Aue's ''wart ein schœne man'' “became a handsome man”.^(Paul 2002) It was soon extended to the ear, as in Walther von der Vogelweide's ''schone sanc diu nahtegal'' “the nightingale sang beautifully”, then to taste (northern ''das schmeckt schön'') and to any pleasant feeling.^(Paul 2002) Middle High German also used it for “kind, considerate”, a sense that survives in the old adverb [[schon]] and in [[schonen]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020)

+

+ The link with art and taste came in the 18th century, under the humanist ideal of education: ''schöne Künste'' and ''schöne Wissenschaften'' were modelled on French ''beaux-arts'' and ''belles-lettres'', and [[Schöngeist]] on ''bel esprit''.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020)^(Wahrig Herkunftswörterbuch) In everyday speech the word has weakened into formulas of politeness (''danke schön'', ''bitte schön'') and of grudging agreement (''na schön'').^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 8th century – Old High German ''scōni'' appears in glosses.^(Köbler AHD)^(Kluge 2011|824)

+ * 1060–1065 – Middle High German ''schœne'' in Williram.^(Köbler MHD)

+ * 13th century – The umlauted form prevails in Upper German.^(DWB|15, 1464)

+ * 18th century – ''schöne Künste'', ''schöne Literatur'' and ''Schöngeist'' are formed on French models.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020)

+ * 1780 – Adelung explains ''das schöne Geschlecht'' “the fair sex” by the beauty proper to women.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|beautiful|alt=Beautiful]], [[m|en|handsome]], attractive in appearance: ''ein schönes Gesicht''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Pleasing to the eye or ear, lovely: ''eine schöne Melodie''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # [[m|en|pleasant|alt=Pleasant]], enjoyable: ''ein schöner Abend am See''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(especially northern Germany)'' Good, tasty: ''der Kuchen schmeckt schön''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # Good, praiseworthy, kind: ''eine schöne Geste''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # In polite formulas: ''danke schön'', ''bitte schön'', ''schöne Grüße''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # Expressing agreement: ''na schön!'' “all right then”.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' [[m|en|considerable|alt=Considerable]]: ''eine schöne Summe''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(colloquial, ironic)'' Unpleasant, annoying: ''das ist ja ein schöner Schlamassel!''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # Well, [[m|en|nicely]], beautifully: ''sie singt schön''.^(Wiktionary)^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' As expected, properly, in requests: ''iss schön deinen Teller leer!''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[schönen]]

+ * [[schönfärben]]

+ * [[schöngeistig]]

+ * [[Schönheit]]

+ * [[Schöne]]

+ * [[Schönling]]

+ * [[schönreden]]

+ * [[Schönschrift]]

+ * [[verschönern]]

+ * [[beschönigen]]

+ * [[Schöngeist]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[schauen]]

+ * [[schon]]

+ * [[schonen]]

+ * [[en|sheen]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}