Kosten German · revision 35148

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=13th century|origins=la cōnstō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈkɔstn̩/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Kosten''' ''pl'' (plural only)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the plural form, [[inh|gmh|koste|t=value, price, expense]], [[inh|goh|kosta|t=value]], [[bor|la-med|costa|t=expense]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|471)^(EWA|5, 720) Medieval Latin also had a masculine [[m|la-med|costus]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(EWA|5, 720) Kluge prefers an early Romance noun, late in its records but presupposed by the Romance languages.^(Kluge 2011|534) The noun belongs with the verb [[la-vul|*cōstō]], from [[la|cōnstō|t=to stand firm; to cost]], which in Roman business language had already passed from “to stand still” (probably of a balance) to “to come to, cost”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Kluge 2011|534) The verb [[kosten]] “to cost” was borrowed separately, around 1200 on the Middle Rhine, from [[fro|coster]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Kluge 2011|534) The same Romance word lies behind [[nl|kosten]], [[en|cost]] and [[fr|coût]].^(Kluge 2011|534)

+

+ Singular forms of the noun, feminine and masculine, were used in this sense until the plural alone prevailed in the 18th century.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden GWDS 1999) The singular [[Kost]] kept the special sense “expenditure on food”, hence “food, fare”.^(Duden 7 2020|471) The verb of the same spelling meaning “to taste” is a native word with its own history.^(Kluge 2011|534)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''kosta'' “value” is recorded only once, in a gloss of a 13th-century manuscript, translating Latin ''pondus''.^(EWA|5, 720)^(Pfeifer 1993) Köbler dates the gloss to the 12th century.^(Köbler AHD) Middle High German ''koste'', ''kost'' meant “value, price, means, expenditure”, and also “provisions, food”.^(EWA|5, 720)^(Köbler MHD)

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+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Adelung (1793) gives the word only in the plural, for the outlay made to reach an aim, especially in cash, and figuratively for disadvantage or damage, as in praising one friend ''auf Kosten'' of another.^(Adelung 1793|2, 1730) The synonym [[Unkosten]] has a parallel in [[gml|unkost]].^(Pfeifer 1993) ''Kostspielig'' “expensive” is an 18th-century formation.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|471)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 12th or 13th century – Old High German ''kosta'' is recorded in a single gloss.^(Köbler AHD)^(EWA|5, 720)

+ * c. 1200 – The verb ''kosten'' “to cost” is borrowed from Old French.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 13th century – Middle High German ''koste'' “expense” in common use.^(Kluge 2011|534)

+ * 18th century – The plural ''Kosten'' replaces the singular forms;^(Pfeifer 1993) ''kostspielig'' appears.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1793 – Adelung records the word as plural only.^(Adelung 1793|2, 1730)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|cost|alt=Costs]], [[m|en|expense|alt=expenses]]: money spent or to be spent on something: ''die Kosten der Renovierung'' “the cost of the renovation”.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[kostspielig]]

+ * [[Unkosten]]

+ * [[Kostenvoranschlag]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[kosten]]

+ * [[Kost]]

+ * [[kostbar]]

+ * [[konstant]]

+ * [[en|cost]]

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+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Auf seine Kosten kommen'' (colloquial) is “to get one's money's worth, be satisfied”.^(Duden GWDS 1999) ''Auf jemandes Kosten'' means both “at someone's expense, paid by him” and “to someone's disadvantage”.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Adelung 1793|2, 1730)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}