Höhe German · revision 35187

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈhøːə/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Höhe''' ''f'' (genitive Höhe, plural Höhen)^(Wiktionary)

+ Older German also had ''höche'' and, without umlaut, ''hoch''.^(DWB|10, 1705) Alemannic had a plural ''höhinen'', and Luther used a plural ''höhe'' beside ''höhen''.^(DWB|10, 1705)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|hœhe]], [[inh|goh|hōhī]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*hauhī]], [[inh|gem-pro|*hauhį̄|t=height]], an abstract noun formed from the adjective [[m|gem-pro|*hauhaz|t=high]], continued in [[hoch]].^(Wiktionary)^(Duden 7 2007)^(Duden GWDS 1999) The same noun is [[got|𐌷𐌰𐌿𐌷𐌴𐌹|tr=hauhei]] and [[osx|hōhi]].^(Pfeifer 1993) Middle High German also had a form without umlaut, [[m|gmh|hōhe]].^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ The adjective is [[got|𐌷𐌰𐌿𐌷𐍃|tr=hauhs]], [[non|hár]], [[ang|hēah]] and [[ofs|hāch]], and in the modern languages [[nl|hoog]], [[en|high]] and [[sv|hög]].^(Kluge 2011|419)^(Kroonen 2013) Its further origin is unclear.^(Kluge 2011|419) Kluge compares, with a different ending, [[xto|koc]] and [[txb|kauc]] “high, upwards”, and prefers a link with [[grc|κύριος|tr=kúrios|t=lord, master]] and [[cy|cawr|t=giant]] under [[ine-pro|*ḱou-ko-]] “big, strong” to a link with [[Hügel]].^(Kluge 2011|419) Pfeifer and the Duden dictionary, on the contrary, put the adjective together with that noun under [[ine-pro|*keuk-]], an extension of [[ine-pro|*keu-|t=to bend]], so that “high” would first have meant “arched”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2007) Kroonen reconstructs [[ine-pro|*kóuk-o-]] and points to a variant with Verner's law in [[non|haugr|t=hill]] and [[lt|kaukas|alt=kaũkas|t=bump]].^(Kroonen 2013)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''hōhī'' is recorded from the 8th century.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary DE) In Tatian, Otfrid, Notker, Williram and the Murbach hymns it meant “height, size”, “majesty, sublimity”, “summit, hill” and the pitch of a note.^(Schützeichel 2012|155)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Paul traces the senses from vertical extent (''die Höhe eines Hauses'') to a point above a surface (''in die Höhe heben'', ''Gott in der Höhe''), then to the top of something and to a hill, for which ''Anhöhe'' is now more usual outside military language.^(Paul 2002) Pfeifer dates ''Anhöhe'' to the 17th century, the Duden dictionary to the 18th.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2007) The word was then applied to latitude (''auf der Höhe von Teneriffa''), to sound, to time (''die Höhe des Tages'') and to size (''die Höhe der Preise'').^(Paul 2002) Adelung already defines the height of a figure in geometry and the altitude of a star in astronomy.^(Adelung 1793|2, 1251)

+

+ In the older language ''Höhe'' and ''Hoheit'' were not clearly separated;^(DWB|10, 1705) ''Hoheit'' later kept the figurative sense with the idea of dignity.^(DWB|10, 1705) The Grimms called ''auf der Höhe der Zeit'' a fashionable phrase.^(Paul 2002) The indignant ''das ist die Höhe!'' goes back to the ironic ''das ist die rechte Höhe'' of the early 17th century, the “right height” being the measure into which something should fit.^(Paul 2002)^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 8th century – Old High German ''hōhī'' is recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * Early 17th century – The ironic phrase ''das ist die rechte Höhe''.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 17th century – ''Anhöhe'' “hill, rise” appears, according to Pfeifer.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 18th century – ''Anhöhe'' is recorded, according to the Duden dictionary.^(Duden 7 2007)

+ * 1793 – Adelung records the geometric and astronomical senses.^(Adelung 1793|2, 1251)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|height]], vertical extent: ''Der Schrank hat eine Höhe von zwei Metern.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|altitude]], distance above the ground or sea level: ''Die Hütte liegt in 1800 Metern Höhe.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''in die Höhe'': upwards: ''den Koffer in die Höhe heben''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # A hill, rise: ''Auf den Höhen liegt schon Schnee.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # A high point, [[m|en|peak]]: ''auf der Höhe seiner Karriere''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # An amount or level that can be measured: ''eine Strafe in Höhe von 500 Euro''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # ''(geography)'' [[m|en|latitude]], a position level with a place: ''auf der Höhe von Hamburg''.^(Wiktionary DE)^(Paul 2002)

+ # ''(geometry)'' The altitude of a triangle or the height of a solid.^(Wiktionary DE)^(Adelung 1793|2, 1251)

+ # ''(music)'' The [[m|en|pitch]] of a note.^(Paul 2002)^(Adelung 1793|2, 1251)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Anhöhe]]

+ * [[Höhepunkt]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[hoch]]

+ * [[Hoheit]]

+ * [[erhöhen]]

+ * [[Hügel]]

+ * [[en|high]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Das ist ja die Höhe!'' (colloquial) means “that is outrageous”.^(Duden GWDS 1999) ''In die Höhe gehen'' is to flare up, and ''nicht auf der Höhe sein'' is to feel unwell or not at one's best.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}