warten German · revision 35106

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=late 8th century, Benedictine Rule|origins=gem-pro *wardāną}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈvartən/, [ˈvaʁ.tn̩], [ˈvaɐ̯-]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''warten''' (third-person singular present wartet, past tense wartete, past participle gewartet, auxiliary haben)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|warten]], [[inh|goh|wartēn]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*wardēn]], [[inh|gem-pro|*wardāną|t=to guard, watch over]].^(Kluge 2011|972)^(Wiktionary) The same verb is [[osx|wardōn]], [[non|varða]], [[ang|weardian]] and [[ofs|wardia]];^(Kluge 2011|972)^(Pfeifer 1993) it is not recorded in Gothic.^(DWB|27, 2125) It passed early into the Romance languages, as [[fr|garder|t=to guard]] and [[m|fr|regarder|t=to look at]], and [[Garde]] came back from French.^(Kluge 2011|972)^(DWB|27, 2125)

+

+ Duden and Paul derive the verb from the noun [[Warte|t=lookout]], so that it properly means “to keep a lookout”,^(Duden 7 2020|921)^(Paul 2002) and Kluge sees in it an extension of the root of [[wahren]].^(Kluge 2011|972) Köbler gives the root as [[ine-pro|*wer-|t=to perceive, watch out]].^(Köbler AHD)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''wartēn'' is first recorded in the Benedictine Rule, in the last quarter of the 8th century, and then in the ''Tatian'', Otfrid and Notker.^(Köbler AHD)^(Schützeichel 2012|373) It meant “to look, watch, observe, take heed, beware”; the sense “to wait” first appears in Notker, about 1000.^(Köbler AHD)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From “directing one's gaze at something” came both “to look out for what is coming” and “to take care of something”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002) In the sense “to wait” it displaced the old strong verb [[goh|bītan]], Early New High German ''beiten'', which survived until the 17th century.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002) The sense “to tend, care for” developed in Middle High German and lives on in [[Wärter]] and [[Wartung]]; today it is used chiefly of servicing machines.^(Duden 7 2020|921)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ The object was once in the genitive, as in Lessing's ''hier habe ich deiner unter den Palmen gewartet'' (“here I waited for you under the palms”); ''warten auf'' is now usual.^(Paul 2002) ''Na warte!'' is a threat.^(Paul 2002)^(Duden GWDS 1999) Luther's ''aller Augen warten auf dich'' (“the eyes of all wait upon thee”) shows an older sense “to set one's hope on”.^(Paul 2002) ''Warteschleife'' “holding pattern” was voted Unwort des Jahres in 1991, when it was applied to East German public employees awaiting review.^(Paul 2002) Polish borrowed the verb as ''wartować'' “to keep watch” (1572).^(LWP)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Late 8th century – Old High German ''wartēn'' in the Benedictine Rule.^(Köbler AHD)

+ * About 1000 – Notker uses it in the sense “to wait”.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 15th century – ''Wartung'' is recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1572 – Polish ''wartować'' “to keep watch”.^(LWP)

+ * 17th century – The rival verb ''beiten'' goes out of use.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1991 – ''Warteschleife'' is the Unwort des Jahres.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|wait]] (for), usually with [[auf]]: ''Wir warten seit einer Stunde auf den Bus''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) ''Na warte!'' (colloquial) is a threat.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # To stay at a place waiting: ''Sie wartete vor dem Kino''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(transitive)'' To [[m|en|maintain]] or service a machine: ''Die Heizung wird jedes Jahr gewartet''.^(Wiktionary)^(Wiktionary DE)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Wärter]]

+ * [[Wartung]]

+ * [[abwarten]]

+ * [[erwarten]]

+ * [[aufwarten]]

+ * [[Wartezimmer]]

+ * [[Warteliste]]

+ * [[Warteschleife]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Warte]]

+ * [[wahren]]

+ * [[Garde]]

+ * [[en|ward]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}