Freund German · revision 35227

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /frɔʏ̯nt/, [fʁɔʏ̯nt]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Freund''' ''m'' (genitive Freundes or Freunds, plural Freunde, diminutive Freundchen n or Freundlein n or Freunderl n, feminine Freundin)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|vriunt]], [[inh|goh|friunt]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*friund]], [[inh|gem-pro|*frijōndz|t=friend, relative]].^(Kluge 2011|318)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary) The same word is [[got|𐍆𐍂𐌹𐌾𐍉𐌽𐌳𐍃|tr=frijōnds]], [[ang|frēond]], [[en|friend]], [[ofs|friōnd]], [[osx|friund]], [[nl|vriend]] and, more strongly altered, [[non|frændi|t=relative]].^(Kluge 2011|318)^(Kroonen 2013)^(Orel 2003)

+

+ Like [[Feind]] and [[Heiland]], it is an old present participle that became a noun: “the loving one”, from a Germanic verb meaning “to love, treat kindly” seen in [[m|got|𐍆𐍂𐌹𐌾𐍉𐌽|tr=frijōn|t=to love]], which belongs with [[frei]] and [[freien]].^(Kluge 2011|318)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002) The root is [[ine-pro|*preyH-|t=to love, be fond of]].^(Wiktionary)^(Köbler AHD) Orel lists Mezger's view that it is not a participle but formed otherwise from the verb.^(Orel 2003)^(Kluge 2011|318) Remnants of the old consonant-stem inflection, plurals without an ending, survive in Old and Middle High German.^(EWA|3, 583)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''friunt'' is recorded from the 8th century, in glosses and in the Benedictine Rule, the Tatian, Otfrid, Notker and Williram.^(EWA|3, 583)^(Schützeichel 2012|114)^(Köbler AHD) It meant “friend” and “neighbour, fellow man”, glossing Latin ''amicus'' and ''proximus'', and also “kinsman” (''cognatus'').^(EWA|3, 583)^(Köbler AHD)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From Old High German until the 17th or 18th century the word was used both for relatives and for friends who were not related; the sense “relative” then went out of use in the standard language.^(DWB2|9, 1024)^(Pfeifer 1993) Luther still used it so (''seinen nächsten Freunden … die ihm angehören in seinem Geschlecht''), and it survives in dialects and in [[Blutsfreund]].^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993) The abstract [[Freundschaft]] also first meant “kinship, all one's relatives”.^(Duden 7 2020|287) Duden and Wahrig note that the sense “trusted companion” had appeared beside “kinsman” already in Germanic times.^(Duden 7 2020|287)^(Wahrig Herkunftswörterbuch)

+

+ From Middle High German, like French ''ami'', ''Freund'' also meant “lover”, as in Luther's Song of Songs: ''Mein Freund ist mir ein büschel Myrrhen''.^(Paul 2002) The death euphemism ''Freund Hein'' was made familiar by Matthias Claudius.^(Duden GWDS 1999) In the GDR ''die Freunde'' was an ironic name for the Soviets, after the constant slogan of German–Soviet friendship.^(Wiktionary DE)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 8th century – Old High German ''friunt'' is recorded.^(Kluge 2011|318)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 8th century – ''friuntscaf'' “friendship” appears.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 11th century – The adjective ''friuntlīh'' “friendly” appears.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 15th century – ''Befreundete'' “relatives” is recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 17th–18th century – The sense “relative” goes out of use.^(DWB2|9, 1024)

+ * 18th century – ''freundschaftlich'' appears.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 19th century – ''sich anfreunden'' becomes common.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|friend]], a person one is close to and trusts: ''Er ist seit der Schulzeit mein Freund.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A [[m|en|boyfriend]], the man with whom a woman (or man) has a relationship: ''Sie zog mit ihrem Freund nach Leipzig.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A lover of something: ''kein Freund von etwas sein'', to dislike something.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # A [[m|en|supporter]] or patron: ''der Verein der Freunde des Museums''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # A political ally, a party colleague.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # A form of address to a man.^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # ''(obsolete)'' A blood [[m|en|relative]].^(Wiktionary)^(DWB2|9, 1024)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[anfreunden]]

+ * [[befreunden]]

+ * [[freundlich]]

+ * [[Freundschaft]]

+ * [[befreundet]]

+ * [[entfreunden]]

+ * [[Freundin]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[frei]]

+ * [[freien]]

+ * [[en|friend]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Freund und Feind'' means “everyone”, and ''mit jemandem gut Freund sein'' (regional, dated) is to be on good terms with someone.^(Duden GWDS 1999) The proverb ''Freunde in der Not gehen hundert auf ein Lot'' says that friends are scarce in hard times.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}