rechnen German · revision 35096

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1000, Notker|origins=ine-pro *h₃reǵ-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Germany: /ˈʁɛçnən/^(Wiktionary)

+ * Austria, Southern-Germany, Switzerland: /ˈʁɛçnɛn/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''rechnen''' (third-person singular present rechnet, past tense rechnete, past participle gerechnet, auxiliary haben)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|rechenen]], [[inh|goh|rehhanōn|t=to order, prepare]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*rekanōn]].^(Kluge 2011|751)^(Wiktionary)^(Köbler AHD) The same West Germanic verb is [[ang|gerecenian]], [[ofs|rekenia]], [[gml|rēkenen]] and [[dum|rekenen]], and in the modern languages [[nl|rekenen]] and [[en|reckon]].^(Kluge 2011|751)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ It is a factitive verb formed from an adjective, originally a participle, meaning “directed, ordered”, which survives in [[m|ang|recen|t=ready, quick]], [[m|ofs|rekon|t=in order]] and [[m|gml|reken|t=orderly, exact]].^(Kluge 2011|751)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|678) That adjective belongs to the root of [[recht]], so that the verb first meant “to make straight, put in order”.^(Kluge 2011|751)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden GWDS 1999) Wiktionary takes it indirectly back to [[ine-pro|*h₃reǵ-]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Kluge thinks [[got|𐍂𐌰𐌷𐌽𐌾𐌰𐌽|tr=rahnjan|t=to reckon, count]] probably comes from a variant of the same root,^(Kluge 2011|751) but the Grimms held that it is not related and only resembles the German verb by chance.^(DWB|14, 347) The Grimms also note a shorter form of the verb without the second /n/.^(DWB|14, 347)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''rehhanōn'' is found in Notker (about 1000) in the senses “to order, arrange, prepare, direct”.^(Köbler AHD)^(Pfeifer 1993) Middle High German ''rechenen'' meant “to count, calculate” and “to render account”.^(Lexer 1872|2, 360)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Early New High German added “to estimate, judge, take into account”,^(Pfeifer 1993) and the Early New High German dictionary shows reckoning taught as a skill together with reading and writing, and used for settling accounts with someone.^(FWB) Paul notes the constructions ''mit etwas rechnen'' “to expect” and ''auf etwas rechnen'' “to count on”, and ''ausgerechnet'' “of all things” (recorded in 1933).^(Paul 2002)

+

+ Among the derivatives, ''Rechenschaft'' appears in Central German in the 14th century, first for the rendering of accounts;^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wahrig Herkunftswörterbuch) ''Rechnung'' “bill” has been used in merchants' language since the 16th century after Italian ''conto''.^(Paul 2002) ''Die Rechnung ohne den Wirt machen'' is in Stieler's dictionary of 1691.^(Paul 2002) ''Rechenmaschine'' dates from the 18th century, and ''Rechner'' became the German word for “computer” in the 20th.^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993) The verb was borrowed into Polish as ''rachować'', recorded in 1436 in the sense “to live and manage thriftily”.^(LWP)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * About 1000 – Notker uses Old High German ''rehhanōn''.^(Köbler AHD)

+ * 14th century – ''rechinschaft'' “rendering of accounts”.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1436 – Polish ''rachować'' is recorded.^(LWP)

+ * 16th century – ''Rechnung'' “bill” in merchants' language.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1691 – ''die Rechnung ohne den Wirt machen'' is recorded.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 18th century – ''Rechenmaschine'' “calculating machine”.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 20th century – ''Rechner'' is used for the computer.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|calculate]], do arithmetic: ''Sie rechnete die Aufgabe schnell im Kopf aus.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To be [[m|en|thrifty]], keep a careful budget: ''Die Familie muss mit jedem Cent rechnen.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # To estimate, allow for: ''Für die Fahrt rechnen wir drei Stunden.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # To count among: ''Man rechnet sie zu den besten Geigerinnen des Landes.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''auf jemanden'' or ''mit jemandem rechnen'': to rely on someone: ''Du kannst auf mich rechnen.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''mit etwas rechnen'': to [[m|en|expect]] something: ''Am Wochenende ist mit Gewittern zu rechnen.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(reflexive)'' To pay off, be profitable: ''Die neue Anlage rechnet sich erst nach zehn Jahren.''^(Wiktionary)^(Wiktionary DE)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Rechner]]

+ * [[Rechnung]]

+ * [[Rechenschaft]]

+ * [[abrechnen]]

+ * [[ausrechnen]]

+ * [[berechnen]]

+ * [[verrechnen]]

+ * [[ausgerechnet]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[recht]]

+ * [[en|reckon]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Die Rechnung ohne den Wirt machen'' is to make plans without taking into account someone who has a say in them;^(Paul 2002) Paul finds the idea already in Fischart.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}