recht German · revision 35149

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=8th century, Old High German glosses|origins=ine-pro *h₃reǵ-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Germany: /ʁɛçt/, [ʁɛçtʰ]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Austria, Switzerland: /rɛçt/, [rɛçtʰ]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''recht''' (strong nominative masculine singular rechter, comparative rechter, superlative am rechtesten or (very rare) am rechtsten)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|reht]], [[inh|goh|reht]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*reht|t=right, straight]], [[inh|gem-pro|*rehtaz|t=right, straight]].^(Kluge 2011|751)^(Wiktionary)^(Kroonen 2013) The same adjective is [[got|𐍂𐌰𐌹𐌷𐍄𐍃|tr=raihts]], [[non|réttr]], [[ang|riht]] (modern [[en|right]]), [[ofs|riucht]], [[osx|reht]] and [[nl|recht]].^(Kluge 2011|751)^(Kroonen 2013)

+

+ Like [[la|rēctus|t=straight, right]] and [[grc|ὀρεκτός|tr=orektós|t=stretched out]], it was a participle with the suffix [[ine-pro|*-tós]] of [[ine-pro|*h₃reǵ-|t=to straighten, direct]], the root of [[m|la|regō|t=to direct, rule]] and [[m|grc|ὀρέγω|tr=orégō|t=to stretch out]].^(Kluge 2011|751)^(Kroonen 2013)^(Pfeifer 1993) The same root gives [[rechnen]], [[recken]], [[Rechen]] and, through Latin, [[regieren]].^(Kluge 2011|751)^(Duden 7 2020|678)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''reht'' is found in glosses from about 765 and then in many texts, from Isidor and the ''Murbacher Hymnen'' to Otfrid and Notker.^(Köbler AHD)^(Schützeichel 2012|256) It meant “right, just, correct, straight, simple, good, true”.^(Schützeichel 2012|256)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The first meaning was “straight”, which survives in [[aufrecht]], [[senkrecht]], [[waagerecht]] and in ''rechter Winkel'' and ''Rechteck'' (1757, after Medieval Latin ''rectangulum'').^(Duden 7 2020|678)^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993) From “straight” came “correct” and “lawful, morally good”.^(Duden 7 2020|678)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ The sense “right as opposed to left” grew in late Middle High German out of “correct”, since using the right hand was felt to be proper; it displaced the older [[goh|zeso]], [[gmh|zese]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)^(Duden 7 2020|678) Hence ''die Rechte'' “the right hand” (16th century) and ''rechte Hand'' “indispensable helper” (17th century, earlier ''rechter Arm''), and the adverb [[rechts]], a fossilised genitive.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|678) In politics ''die Rechte'' followed French ''la droite'', after the seating of conservative parties in the French chamber;^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002) Paul's first German record is 1832, in Heine.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002) As an intensifier (''recht gut'' “quite good”) the word goes back to its adverbial use “in the right way”.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 765 – Old High German ''reht'' appears in glosses.^(Köbler AHD)

+ * 9th century – the genitive ''rehtes'' “in the right way” is used as an adverb.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * Late Middle High German – ''reht'' begins to mean “right-hand”, replacing ''zese''.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)

+ * 16th century – ''rechts'' “on the right” and ''die Rechte'' “the right hand” are recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1757 – ''Rechteck'' is recorded.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1832 – ''die Rechte'' is used of a political party.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|suitable|alt=Suitable]], right for a purpose: ''im rechten Moment'', ''Du kommst gerade recht.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|correct|alt=Correct]], as it should be: ''auf dem rechten Weg sein'', ''Ganz recht!''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Just, morally right: ''Es war nicht recht von dir, ihn anzulügen.'' The pair ''recht und billig'' means “only fair”.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Agreeable to someone: ''Ist es dir recht, wenn ich später komme?''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # Real, proper: ''ein rechter Dummkopf''; with a negative, “not really”: ''keine rechte Lust haben''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(attributive)'' [[m|en|right]], on the right-hand side: ''der rechte Arm'', ''das rechte Ufer''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(attributive)'' Of fabric, on the outer side: ''die rechte Seite des Stoffs''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(politics)'' Belonging to the political right: ''rechte Parteien''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # ''(geometry)'' Of an angle, measuring 90 degrees: ''ein rechter Winkel''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # Quite, fairly, rather: ''Das Wetter war recht angenehm.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[rechts]]

+ * [[Rechte]]

+ * [[Rechteck]]

+ * [[aufrecht]]

+ * [[senkrecht]]

+ * [[waagerecht]]

+ * [[gerecht]]

+ * [[richtig]]

+ * [[richten]]

+ * [[rechtschaffen]]

+ * [[Rechtschreibung]]

+ * [[rechtgläubig]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Recht]]

+ * [[rechnen]]

+ * [[recken]]

+ * [[Rechen]]

+ * [[rank]]

+ * [[en|right]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Was dem einen recht ist, ist dem anderen billig'' means that what is allowed to one must be allowed to the other;^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Paul 2002) ''alles, was recht ist'' concedes a point.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Paul 2002) ''Recht und schlecht'' “as well as one can” goes back to Luther's Bible.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}