lieb German · revision 35174

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=6th century, runic inscription|origins=ine-pro *lewbʰ-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /liːp/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''lieb''' (strong nominative masculine singular lieber, comparative lieber, superlative am liebsten)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|liep]], [[inh|goh|liob]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*leub]], [[inh|gem-pro|*leubaz|t=dear, beloved]].^(Kluge 2011|576)^(Kroonen 2013)^(Wiktionary) Kluge takes the Germanic adjective to be passive in sense, “loved”.^(Kluge 2011|576) The same word is [[got|𐌻𐌹𐌿𐍆𐍃|tr=liufs]], [[non|ljúfr]], [[ang|lēof]], [[osx|liof]], [[ofs|liāf]] and [[nl|lief]], and survives in archaic [[en|lief]].^(Kluge 2011|576)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Kroonen 2013)

+

+ It goes back to the root [[ine-pro|*lewbʰ-|t=to desire, love]], also found in [[cu|любъ|tr=ljubŭ|t=dear]], [[ru|любить|tr=ljubítʹ|t=to love]], [[la|libet|t=it pleases]], [[m|la|libīdō|t=desire]] and [[sa|लुभ्यति|tr=lúbhyati|t=desires, is greedy]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|512)^(Wiktionary) Kluge notes that the Sanskrit verb meant “to go astray, become disordered” before it meant “to desire”, and starts from a sense “to be excited”, which he traces further back to the root of [[grc|ἀλύω|tr=alúō|t=I wander about, am beside myself]].^(Kluge 2011|576)

+

+ [[loben]], [[glauben]] and [[erlauben]] belong to the same root in other ablaut grades.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(EWA|5, 1330) The zero grade gave the older words for love, [[ang|lufu]] and [[goh|luba]]; the noun [[Liebe]] and the verb [[lieben]] are later German formations from the adjective.^(Kluge 2011|576)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The oldest record is runic ''liob'' on the Weimar brooches from the first half of the 6th century.^(EWA|5, 1330)^(Kluge 2011|576) Old High German ''liob'' is found in glosses from the early 9th century and in the ''Tatian'', Otfrid and Notker, meaning “dear, beloved, pleasant, welcome”; the ''Hildebrandslied'' has ''leop''.^(EWA|5, 1330)^(Schützeichel 2012|203)^(AWB)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The older language used it more broadly for “pleasant, agreeable”: in ''Minnesangs Frühling'' a falcon flies ''swar dir liep ist'' (“wherever you please”).^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993) This survives in ''es ist mir lieb'' “I am glad” and in [[vorlieb]] ''nehmen''.^(Paul 2002) Today it refers mainly to affection for a living being, and is transferred from there to things.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ Weakened, it became a formula with certain nouns: ''der liebe Gott'', ''das liebe Geld'', ''den lieben langen Tag''.^(Paul 2002) Without reference to a particular person it means “lovable”, and of children “good, well-behaved”.^(Paul 2002)^(Duden GWDS 1999) The neuter noun [[Lieb]] “beloved” is now only poetic, beside the diminutive [[Liebchen]] (15th century).^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|512) The comparative [[lieber]] also serves as the comparative of [[gern]].^(Duden 7 2020|512) [[Liebe]] took on its present sense in the 15th and 16th centuries and [[lieben]] in the 16th, both displacing [[Minne]] and ''minnen''.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Kluge 2011|576)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * First half of the 6th century – Runic ''liob'' on the Weimar brooches.^(EWA|5, 1330)

+ * 8th century – Old High German ''liob'' is recorded.^(Kluge 2011|576)

+ * 9th century – The abstract noun ''liubī'' “love”.^(Pfeifer 1993)

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

+ * 16th century – ''lieben'' takes on its present sense.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 17th century – ''Liebling'', at first “favourite of a prince”.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|kind|alt=Kind]], [[m|en|affectionate]]: ''viele liebe Grüße'';^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) ''Wie lieb von euch, dass ihr gekommen seid!''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|lovable|alt=Lovable]], nice: ''ein lieber Nachbar''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Of children and animals: good, [[m|en|well-behaved]]: ''Sei lieb zu deiner Schwester!''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|dear|alt=Dear]], beloved; also in address: ''Liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) ''Jemanden lieb haben'' is to love someone.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # [[m|en|welcome|alt=Welcome]], agreeable: ''Es wäre mir lieb, wenn ihr leise seid''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Liebe]]

+ * [[lieben]]

+ * [[Lieb]]

+ * [[Liebchen]]

+ * [[Liebling]]

+ * [[lieblich]]

+ * [[liebhaben]]

+ * [[Liebhaber]]

+ * [[liebenswürdig]]

+ * [[liebkosen]]

+ * [[liebäugeln]]

+ * [[vorlieb]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[loben]]

+ * [[glauben]]

+ * [[erlauben]]

+ * [[en|lief]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}