eigentlich German · revision 35202

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=12th century, Middle High German|origins=ine-pro *ēik̑-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈaɪ̯ɡəntlɪç/, [ˈʔaɪ̯ɡ(ə)ntlɪç], [ˈʔaɪ̯(ɡ)ŋ̍tlɪç]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Often: /ˈaɪ̯ŋ(k)lɪç/, /ˈaɪ̯ntlɪç/, /ˈaɪ̯ŋɪç/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''eigentlich'''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|eigenlich]], a derivative with the suffix [[-lich]] of the adjective [[eigen]] “own” or of the noun [[m|gmh|eigen|t=property]].^(Kluge 2011|233)^(Wiktionary)^(DWB2|7, 419) The /t/ is a glide consonant between /n/ and /l/: it is found in Central German from the end of the 13th century, became general in Upper German by about 1500 and was firmly established from the middle of the 16th century, although Alemannic forms without it last into the early 17th century.^(DWB2|7, 419)^(Paul 2002) The same glide appears in [[öffentlich]], [[ordentlich]] and [[wesentlich]].^(Paul 2002)

+

+ The same formation is [[gml|ēgentlik]], [[dum|eigenlijc]], [[nl|eigenlijk]], [[ofs|ēinlik]], [[non|eiginligr]] and [[is|eiginlegur]]; [[da|egentlig]] and [[sv|egentlig]] were taken over from Middle Low German.^(Kluge 2011|233)^(DWB2|7, 419)

+

+ The base adjective was originally the past participle of an old preterite-present verb, common to the Germanic languages, meaning “to have, own”: [[goh|eigan]], [[got|𐌰𐌹𐌲𐌰𐌽|tr=aigan]], [[non|eiga]] and [[ang|āgan]], the source of [[en|own]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2007) Pfeifer traces the verb to a root [[ine-pro|*ēik̑-]] or [[m|ine-pro|*eik̑-]] “to own, be able”, also behind [[txb|aik-|t=to know]].^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Kluge dates the word to the 12th century and the form with /t/ to the 13th.^(Kluge 2011|233) In Middle High German it is found both in the original sense “owned, belonging to one” and in the senses “peculiar, express, definite”;^(Kluge 2011|233) Konrad von Würzburg wrote of “his own child”.^(DWB|3, 102)^(Paul 2002) Like most Middle High German formations in ''-lich'' from adjectives, it served at first chiefly as the adverb of its base.^(DWB2|7, 419)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Until the middle of the 17th century ''eigentlich'' alternated with a competing form ''eigentlichen''.^(DWB2|7, 419) In Early New High German the adverb often meant “exactly, accurately, in detail”, as when Luther says he has had something enquired into and learned ''eigentlich'';^(DWB|3, 102) this sense faded at the end of the period.^(DWB2|7, 419) The old sense “own, in one's possession”, even “bound as a serf”, survived into the 17th century, with Leibniz and Spener, and Opitz called proper names ''eigentliche Namen'' in 1624.^(Paul 2002)^(DWB|3, 102) Adelung (1774) already marked the possessive sense as long obsolete in High German.^(Adelung 1793)

+

+ From the 18th century, as the word became independent of [[eigen]] in meaning, it was used more and more as an attributive adjective, though the adverb remained the main use.^(DWB2|7, 419) The present meaning grew out of “making up the core or essence” of something:^(Kluge 2011|233) Adelung opposed the ''eigentliche Bedeutung'' of a word, its literal sense, to the figurative one,^(Adelung 1793) and the adverb came to mean “in reality, strictly speaking”, and then to soften an objection or a question.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 12th century – First record, in Middle High German.^(Kluge 2011|233)

+ * 1298 – A Hessian charter has the form with the glide consonant, ''eigentliche''.^(DWB2|7, 419)

+ * 1482 – The ''Vocabularius Teutonico-Latinus'' records ''Eygentlich''.^(Paul 2002)

+ * c. 1500 – The form with /t/ prevails in Upper German.^(DWB2|7, 419)

+ * 1624 – Opitz uses ''eigentlicher Name'' for a proper name.^(Paul 2002)

+ * Mid-17th century – The competing form ''eigentlichen'' drops out.^(DWB2|7, 419)

+ * 18th century – Attributive use as an adjective becomes common.^(DWB2|7, 419)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|actual]], [[m|en|real]], true: what really underlies or matters in something, as opposed to a pretext or a secondary aspect: ''der eigentliche Anlass ihres Anrufs''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Literal, original: ''die eigentliche Bedeutung'' of a word is its literal sense, not a figurative one.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(mathematics)'' ''Ein eigentlicher Bruch'' is a [[m|en|proper fraction]].^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # In reality, as opposed to what appears: ''Er heißt eigentlich Schulze.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Basically, [[m|en|strictly]] speaking, on the whole: ''Eigentlich hat sie recht.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Marks a half-hearted objection or an intention already given up: ''Eigentlich wollten wir heute an den See fahren.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # In questions, adds casual [[m|en|curiosity]], often on a new topic: ''Wie alt bist du eigentlich?''^(Wiktionary)^(Wiktionary DE)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[eigen]]

+ * [[Eigentum]]

+ * [[en|own]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The written abbreviation is ''eigtl.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) In speech the word is often reduced, to forms such as /ˈaɪ̯ŋ(k)lɪç/ or /ˈaɪ̯ntlɪç/.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}