Lösung German · revision 35284

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 830, Old High German Tatian|origins=gem-pro *lausaz}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈløːzʊŋ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Lösung''' ''f'' (genitive Lösung, plural Lösungen)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|lœsunge]] (also [[m|gmh|lōsunge]]), [[inh|goh|lōsunga|t=redemption, ransom]], the noun of [[lösen]] with [[-ung]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary)^(Duden 7 2020|520) Wiktionary traces it further to [[gmw-pro|*lausungu]] and [[gem-pro|*lausungō]], which also gave [[ang|lēasung|t=lie, falsehood]], the source of [[en|leasing]], and [[is|lausung]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ The verb, [[goh|lōsen]], is the same as [[got|𐌻𐌰𐌿𐍃𐌾𐌰𐌽|tr=lausjan]], [[non|leysa]] and [[ang|līesan]], and is derived from the adjective [[los]].^(Kluge 2011|584)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|520) That adjective, [[gem-pro|*lausaz]], is itself formed from a verb meaning “to loosen” that survives in Germanic only with a prefix, as in [[verlieren]].^(Kluge 2011|584)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''lōsunga'' is recorded in glosses, in Notker and in the Tatian (about 830), meaning “redemption, deliverance”;^(Köbler AHD)^(Schützeichel 2012|207) Köbler also lists the senses “payment, ransom” and “deceit, deception”.^(Köbler AHD)^(Schützeichel 2012|207)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Middle High German ''lœsunge'' meant a loosening or opening, redemption, the ransoming of a person or a pledge, a ransom or purchase price, and money taken in; in Nuremberg and Basel it was also a civic tax on property.^(Lexer 1872|1, 1960) The Grimms' dictionary still records the ransom of a prisoner (Luther's Bible) and ransom money (Voss's ''Iliad''), the redemption of a pledged property in law, and the loosing of bonds.^(DWB|12, 1202)

+

+ The sense “answer to a riddle or problem” is listed in the Grimm dictionary beside ''die Lösung eines Widerspruchs'', the resolving of a contradiction.^(DWB|12, 1202) The chemical sense, the dissolving of a substance in a liquid and the liquid itself, became a technical term in the 19th century, shortened from [[Auflösung]].^(Duden 7 2020|520)^(DWB|12, 1202) In Switzerland ''Lösung'' is also the buying of a licence token, as for a bicycle.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 830 – Old High German ''lōsunga'' “redemption” in the Tatian.^(Köbler AHD)

+ * 1441 – In Basel ''lôsunge'' is a civic levy.^(Lexer 1872|1, 1960)

+ * 1755 – The Mainz land law uses ''Lösung'' for the right to redeem a sold property.^(DWB|12, 1202)

+ * 19th century – ''Lösung'' becomes a chemical term, shortened from ''Auflösung''.^(Duden 7 2020|520)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The solving of a difficult task or problem: ''Die Stadt sucht nach einer Lösung für die Wohnungsnot.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The answer or result found: ''des Rätsels Lösung'', the answer to the riddle; a [[m|en|solution]].^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A loosening or freeing from something: ''die Lösung eines Knotens''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # The [[m|en|cancellation]] or dissolving of a contract, a marriage or a bond.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(chemistry, physics)'' The dissolving of a substance in a liquid; a liquid in which a substance is dissolved: ''eine schwache Zuckerlösung''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Switzerland)'' The buying of a [[m|en|licence]] token, as for a bicycle.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Lösungsmittel]]

+ * [[Lösungswort]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[lösen]]

+ * [[los]]

+ * [[Erlösung]]

+ * [[Auflösung]]

+ * [[en|leasing]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}