eng German · revision 35247

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 765, Old High German glosses|origins=ine-pro *h₂enǵʰ-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ɛŋ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''eng''' (strong nominative masculine singular enger, comparative enger, superlative am engsten)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|enge]], [[inh|goh|engi]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*angī]], [[inh|gem-pro|*anguz|t=narrow]].^(Kluge 2011|246)^(Wiktionary)^(EWA|2, 1072) The same adjective is [[osx|engi]], [[ang|enge]], [[non|ǫngr]] (also [[m|non|øngr]]) and [[got|𐌰𐌲𐌲𐍅𐌿𐍃|tr=aggwus]]; it lives on in [[nl|eng]] and [[is|öngur]].^(Kluge 2011|246)^(Kroonen 2013) In English and the Scandinavian languages the adjective died out, and English uses [[m|en|narrow]] instead.^(DWB|3, 468) It was originally a stem in /u/; the Gothic and Norse forms suggest a by-form with /w/, which Kroonen takes as the Germanic starting point.^(EWA|2, 1072)^(Kroonen 2013)

+

+ It continues [[ine-pro|*h₂énǵʰus|t=narrow]], as do [[sa|अंहु|tr=aṃhú]] and, with a further suffix, [[cu|ѫзъкъ|tr=ǫzŭkŭ]] and [[ru|узкий|tr=úzkij]].^(Kluge 2011|246)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary) The root [[ine-pro|*h₂enǵʰ-|t=to constrict, tie up]] is seen in [[grc|ἄγχω|tr=ánkhō|t=I strangle]], [[la|angō|t=to choke, constrict]] and [[hit|ḫamank-|t=to tie]];^(Kluge 2011|246)^(Kroonen 2013) [[m|la|angustus|t=narrow]] and [[m|la|angiportus|t=narrow alley]] belong here too.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DWB2|8, 1315) The family referred early to the mind as well as to space, as in [[m|la|angor|t=anguish]] and [[Angst]], formed from the same Germanic adjective.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2014|252) Its old adverb without umlaut, [[goh|ango]], survives in [[bange]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2014|252)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''engi'' is first recorded in glosses of about 765.^(Köbler AHD) The Old High German Benedictine Rule (790/802) renders “narrow is the way that leads to life” with ''enger vvec'', and the Tatian (about 830) has ''get in thuruh enga phorta'', “enter through the narrow gate”.^(DWB2|8, 1315)^(Schützeichel 2012|89)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Middle High German ''enge'' meant narrow and confined, but also sparing and close, and confidential: ''enger rât'' was a privy council.^(Lexer 1872|1, 554) Paul sets it against ''weit'' and notes that, unlike ''dünn'' and ''schmal'', it can refer to one, two or three dimensions; it also describes things close together, as in Luther's Job, where the scales of the beast lie ''fest vnd enge in einander''.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ From closeness in space came closeness between people: Schiller speaks of an ''enges Bündnis'', and German says ''enge Freunde'' and ''im engsten Kreis''.^(Paul 2002) The comparative is frequent in figurative use, as in ''die engere Wahl'' (the shortlist).^(Paul 2002) Colloquial German says ''das wird eng'' for “that'll be close” and ''etwas nicht so eng sehen'' for “not to be strict about something”.^(Paul 2002)^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ The noun [[Enge]] gave ''jemanden in die Enge treiben'' “to drive someone into a corner” in Early New High German, and [[Meerenge]] (17th century) and [[Landenge]] (18th century).^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993) The old verb ''engen'' was replaced in the 17th century by [[beengen]], [[verengen]] and [[einengen]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2014|252) [[Engpass]] (around 1800) first meant a narrow mountain pass and soon a difficulty or shortage.^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Timeline==

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

+ * 790/802 – The Old High German Benedictine Rule speaks of the ''enger vvec'', the narrow way.^(DWB2|8, 1315)

+ * c. 830 – The Tatian has ''enga phorta'', the narrow gate.^(DWB2|8, 1315)

+ * Before 1022 – Notker contrasts the broad way with the narrow.^(DWB2|8, 1315)

+ * 17th century – ''Beengen'', ''verengen'' and ''einengen'' replace ''engen'';^(Pfeifer 1993) ''Meerenge'' appears.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * Around 1800 – ''Engpass'' “narrow pass” appears.^(Paul 2002)

+ * Second half of the 19th century – ''Engpass'' is used figuratively for a difficulty.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|narrow]], cramped, having little room: ''eine enge Treppe''; figuratively ''in engen Verhältnissen'', in modest circumstances.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Close together, [[m|en|dense]]: ''Die Bäume stehen hier sehr eng.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # [[m|en|tight]], fitting closely to the body: ''Die Jeans ist mir zu eng.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Allowing no room for manoeuvre, strict;^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE) ''(colloquial)'' ''das wird eng'', it will be close;^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE) ''etwas nicht so eng sehen'', not to be too strict about something.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # Limited by selection: ''in die engere Wahl kommen'', to be shortlisted;^(Duden GWDS 1999) ''im engeren Sinne'', in the narrower sense.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # Close, [[m|en|intimate]]: ''eng befreundet sein'';^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) ''im engsten Familienkreis''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Enge]]

+ * [[einengen]]

+ * [[beengen]]

+ * [[verengen]]

+ * [[Engpass]]

+ * [[engherzig]]

+ * [[Meerenge]]

+ * [[Landenge]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Angst]]

+ * [[bange]]

+ * [[Angina]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}