trotz German · revision 35064

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1548}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /trɔts/, [ˈtʰʁ̞̊ɔt͡sʰ], [ˈtrots]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''trotz''' (preposition with the genitive, less often the dative)^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the noun [[Trotz|t=defiance]], used as a preposition since the 16th and 17th centuries.^(Kluge 2011|932)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020)^(Wiktionary DE) It grew out of the noun with a following dative in a parenthetic formula, as in Weckherlin's “trutz meinem feind”, and out of phrases such as “Trotz sei …” and “zu(m) Trotz”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020)^(Duden GWDS 1999) The Grimms' dictionary derives it from the interjection “trotz!”, a cry of challenge from “Trotz sei geboten”, which was frequent until the 17th century.^(DWB|22, 1087)^(DWB|22, 1085)

+

+ The noun is [[gmh|traz]], also [[m|gmh|tratz]], in central German [[m|gmh|trotz]] and in Upper German [[m|gmh|truz]], and [[gml|trot]] in the phrase “to offer defiance”.^(Kluge 2011|932)^(Pfeifer 1993) Its origin is unclear.^(Kluge 2011|932)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020) Kluge tentatively connects it with [[lt|nirsti|alt=nir̃sti|t=to be furious]], from [[m|ine-pro|*nrot-]].^(Kluge 2011|932) Pfeifer suspects a sound-imitative origin because the vowels vary, and reports that de Vries links it by metathesis with [[dum|tarten|t=to provoke, defy]], and Pokorny with [[ang|teart|t=sharp, bitter]] and the root [[ine-pro|*der-|t=to flay, split]].^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first examples stand on the border between noun and preposition: ''trutz irer macht'' “in defiance of their power” (1548).^(DWB|22, 1087) In ''trotz neidhart, miszgunst, krieg und streit'' “despite envy, ill will, war and strife” (1597) the use is already more prepositional, but the preposition remained rare in the 17th century.^(DWB|22, 1087)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ At first the preposition kept the idea of a contest, “in defiance of”, then it weakened to “regardless of, despite”.^(Paul 2002) It took the dative, as its origin requires, and the genitive from the middle of the 18th century, as in Lessing's ''Trotz der grauen Haare''.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)^(Duden 7 2020) The old dative survives in [[trotzdem]], formed in the 19th century from ''trotz dem, dass …'', and in the fixed phrases ''trotz allem'' and ''trotz alledem''.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1548 – ''trutz irer macht'', an early prepositional use.^(DWB|22, 1087)

+ * 1597 – ''trotz neidhart, miszgunst, krieg und streit''.^(DWB|22, 1087)

+ * Mid-18th century – The genitive appears beside the dative.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)

+ * 19th century – ''trotzdem'' becomes an adverb and conjunction.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Preposition===

+ # [[m|en|despite|alt=Despite]], in [[m|en|spite]] of: ''trotz des Sturms fuhren sie los'';^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) ''trotz allem'' “in spite of everything”.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(dated)'' ''trotz einem'': as well as anyone, better than anyone.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Trotz]]

+ * [[trotzen]]

+ * [[trotzdem]]

+ * [[trotzig]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Standard German now prefers the genitive (''trotz des Regens''), but the dative is still used, especially when the genitive is not visible (''trotz Beweisen'') and in ''trotz allem''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Duden 7 2020) The dated ''trotz einem'' comes from an older ''jemandem zu Trotz'' in the sense of “matching someone”, as in Kleist's ''Der zerbrochne Krug''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}