gering German · revision 35251

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=9th century, Otfrid|origins=gem-pro *ringwaz}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ɡəˈʁɪŋ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''gering''' (strong nominative masculine singular geringer, comparative geringer, superlative am geringsten)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|geringe]], [[inh|goh|giringi]], with the prefix [[ge-]] added to [[m|goh|ringi|t=light, slight]], which lived on as [[m|gmh|ringe]] and, without the prefix, until the 17th century.^(Kluge 2011|351)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(EWA|7, 508) The adjective is otherwise found in [[gml|geringe]], [[dum|gheringe]] and [[ofs|ring]];^(Kluge 2011|351)^(Pfeifer 1993) [[sv|ringa]] and [[da|ringe]] were borrowed from Middle Low German.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(EWA|7, 508) The EWA, following Heidermanns, also finds it as the second part of [[got|𐌿𐌽𐌼𐌰𐌽𐌰𐍂𐌹𐌲𐌲𐍅𐍃|tr=unmanariggws|t=savage, hard to tame]] and reconstructs a Germanic form with a labiovelar, which Wiktionary gives as [[gem-pro|*ringwaz|t=small, light, quick]].^(EWA|7, 508)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Outside Germanic, Kluge compares [[lt|įrangus|alt=įrangùs|t=nimble, busy]] and [[grc|ῥίμφα|tr=rhímpha|t=lightly, swiftly]], which Pfeifer and Paul also consider, since the oldest senses are “light in weight” and “nimble”; its further origin is uncertain.^(Kluge 2011|351)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002) Wiktionary connects it with [[wringen]] and [[ine-pro|*wrengʷʰ-|t=to squeeze, wring]], a link Pfeifer thinks unlikely.^(Wiktionary)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Otfrid (863–871) has the adverb ''giringo'' “easily, in an easily grasped way” and the negated ''ungiringi'' “weighty”, of words.^(Köbler AHD)^(Schützeichel 2012|353)^(Pfeifer 1993) The Old High German Benedictine Rule uses ''ringi'' for “slight”: ''in ringirom'' renders Latin ''in levioribus culpis'' “in lighter faults”.^(AWB|7, 1042)^(Schützeichel 2012|261)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Until Early New High German the word meant first “light in weight”;^(Paul 2002)^(DWB|5, 3689) Campe in 1808 still records ''um ein halbes Pfund zu gering'' as Upper German.^(Paul 2002)^(DWB|5, 3689) It was also used of light armour and light troops.^(DWB|5, 3689) Middle High German ''geringe'' also meant “quick, nimble”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Köbler MHD) From Middle High German on it developed the sense “of little value”: ''geringer Wein'' first meant a light wine and then a poor one, and of people it came to mean “of low rank”, as in Luther's ''die geringsten im Lande''.^(Paul 2002) Since Middle High German it has also expressed small quantity, and the superlative is used for emphasis (''nicht das Geringste'') and in litotes (''keinen geringen Eindruck'').^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ''Geringschätzig'' dates from about 1500, first meaning “of little value” and since the 18th century only “contemptuous”;^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993) ''geringfügig'' (end of the 16th century, from Early New High German ''geringfüge'') is recorded by Henisch in 1616.^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993) The Yiddish word ''גרינג'' (''gring'') “light, easy” belongs here.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 863–871 – Otfrid has ''giringo'' and ''ungiringi''.^(Köbler AHD)^(Schützeichel 2012|353)

+ * 9th century – ''ringi'' “slight” in the Benedictine Rule.^(Schützeichel 2012|261)^(Kluge 2011|351)

+ * c. 1200 – Middle High German ''geringe'' in Reinmar.^(Köbler MHD)

+ * c. 1500 – ''geringschätzig''.^(Paul 2002)

+ * End of the 15th century – ''Geringschätzung''.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1616 – Henisch records ''geringfügig''.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 17th century – the unprefixed ''ring'' drops out of use.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(EWA|7, 508)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Small in amount, number or extent: ''Die Kosten waren gering.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Slight in degree, minor, [[m|en|negligible]]: ''nicht im Geringsten'' “not in the least”;^(Duden GWDS 1999) ''kein Geringerer als'' “no less a person than”.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(formal)'' Of [[m|en|humble]] social rank: ''aus geringen Verhältnissen stammen''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Paul 2002)

+ # ''(formal, rare)'' Of [[m|en|inferior]] quality: ''Waren geringerer Qualität''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[geringfügig]]

+ * [[Geringfügigkeit]]

+ * [[geringschätzig]]

+ * [[Geringschätzung]]

+ * [[geringschätzen]]

+ * [[verringern]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[yi|גרינג|tr=gring]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}