bald German · revision 35143

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=9th century|origins=gem-pro *balþaz}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /balt/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''bald''' (comparative eher, superlative am ehesten)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|balde]], [[inh|goh|baldo]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*balþ]], [[inh|gem-pro|*balþaz|t=bold, strong]]: an adverb of the adjective [[goh|bald|t=bold]].^(Kluge 2011|84)^(Wiktionary)^(EWA|1, 434) The adjective is [[got|𐌱𐌰𐌻𐌸𐌰𐌱𐌰|tr=balþaba|t=boldly]] (an adverb), [[non|ballr]], [[ang|beald]] (modern [[en|bold]]), [[osx|bald]] and [[nl|boud]].^(Kluge 2011|84)^(Kroonen 2013)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ Its further origin is unclear.^(Kluge 2011|84) Pfeifer, Duden and Wahrig derive it from [[ine-pro|*bʰel-|t=to swell]], as “puffed up, haughty”, the root of [[Ball]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|123)^(Wahrig Herkunftswörterbuch) DWB2 finds this possible but unsupported outside Germanic.^(DWB2|4, 82) Kluge compares [[sga|balc|t=strong]], but finds the root this implies odd.^(Kluge 2011|84) Orel mentions an old comparison with [[lt|báltas|t=white]].^(Orel 2003)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Kluge dates the adverb to the 9th century, with ''baldlihho'' and ''beldi'' already in the 8th.^(Kluge 2011|84) In Otfrid and Notker ''baldo'' meant “boldly, fearlessly, confidently, openly”, and the adjective ''bald'' “bold, brave, strong”.^(Schützeichel 2012|43)^(Köbler AHD)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The shift to time began in Middle High German, where ''balde'' meant “quick, at once”: EWA explains it by the word's frequent use with verbs of motion, as with [[schnell]].^(EWA|1, 434)^(Duden 7 2020|123) In New High German it came to mean “soon, in a short time”.^(Paul 2002)^(Duden 7 2020|123) The adjective “bold” was rare by the 15th century and survives only in personal names such as [[Balduin]], [[Leopold]] and [[Willibald]], which became the model for mocking nouns in [[-bold]] such as [[Raufbold]] and [[Witzbold]].^(DWB2|4, 82)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|123)

+

+ The old comparative ''bälder'' is now replaced by [[eher]], though Goethe wrote ''Ich sterbe! das ist bald gesagt / Und bälder noch gethan'' (“I die! That is soon said, and sooner done”).^(Paul 2002) Some dialects still use ''bald'' as an adjective meaning “early”, as Upper Hessian ''bāl obst'' “early fruit”.^(EWA|1, 434)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 8th century – ''baldlihho'' and ''beldi'' are recorded.^(Kluge 2011|84)

+ * 9th century – the adverb ''baldo'' appears, meaning “boldly”.^(Kluge 2011|84)^(Schützeichel 2012|43)

+ * Middle High German – ''balde'' comes to mean “quickly, at once”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|123)

+ * 15th century – the last scattered records of the adjective “bold”.^(DWB2|4, 82)

+ * 17th century – ''in Bälde'' is formed.^(Duden 7 2020|123)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # [[m|en|soon|alt=Soon]], within a short time: ''Wir sehen uns bald wieder.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) ''Bis bald!'' “See you soon!”^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Easily, quickly: ''Das hatte sie bald verstanden.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' [[m|en|almost|alt=Almost]], nearly: ''Wir warten schon bald zwei Stunden.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''bald … bald'': now … now: ''Bald regnete es, bald schien die Sonne.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[baldig]]

+ * [[Bälde]]

+ * [[alsbald]]

+ * [[sobald]]

+ * [[baldmöglichst]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[-bold]]

+ * [[en|bold]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}