sofort German · revision 35289

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=1595, Rollenhagen's Froschmeuseler}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /zoˈfɔʁt/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''sofort'''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|de|so|fort]], run together into one word in northern Germany in the 16th century.^(Kluge 2011|856)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|789) In Middle Low German [[m|gml|vōrt|t=forward]] also meant “soon, at once”, and the phrase strengthened with [[m|gml|so]] or [[m|gml|also]] became the adverb.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|789)^(Duden GWDS 1999) Kluge explains the temporal sense from the situation, “onward from here”, as with the Middle Low German adverb alone.^(Kluge 2011|856) Wiktionary describes it as taken over from Middle Low German.^(Wiktionary)

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+ The Grimms' dictionary separates the adverb, stressed on the second syllable, from the phrase written separately and stressed on both parts, which means “further in the same way”, as when someone is told to carry on like that.^(DWB|16, 1404)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Paul's dictionary gives 1595 as the first record, from Rollenhagen's ''Froschmeuseler'', where it is used of place, “straight away, directly”: ''gieng aus dem saal ins haus sofort'' (“went from the hall straight into the house”).^(Paul 2002)^(DWB|16, 1404) The plain ''fort'' could still mean “immediately” in 1664, in Rachel's satires.^(DWB|16, 1404)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The adverb soon became common in commands and requests, as in Voss's ''Iliad'': ''schirr uns sofort das gespann starkhufiger rosse'' (“harness at once the team of strong-hoofed horses for us”).^(Paul 2002)^(DWB|16, 1404) In speech it also names a short interval, “in a moment”, as when someone says they are coming ''sofort''.^(Paul 2002)^(Duden GWDS 1999)

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+ The adjective [[sofortig]] “immediate” followed in the 19th century, often in the official phrase ''mit sofortiger Wirkung'' (“with immediate effect”); in the 20th century ''Sofort-'' became the first element of compounds such as [[Soforthilfe]] and [[Sofortmaßnahme]].^(Paul 2002)^(Duden 7 2020|789) Commercial language says ''per sofort'' for “without delay”.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 16th century – ''Sofort'' arises in northern Germany from Middle Low German ''(al)so vōrt''.^(Duden 7 2020|789)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1595 – First record, in Rollenhagen's ''Froschmeuseler''.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1664 – Rachel still uses the plain ''fort'' for “immediately”.^(DWB|16, 1404)

+ * 1851 – Bismarck uses the adjective ''sofortig''.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 20th century – Compounds such as ''Soforthilfe'' and ''Sofortmaßnahme'' appear.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # [[m|en|immediately]] after something has happened: ''Sie hat den Fehler sofort bemerkt.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Without delay, at once: ''Bring das sofort zurück!'';^(Duden GWDS 1999) ''ab sofort'', from now on;^(Duden GWDS 1999) ''(commerce)'' ''per sofort'', without delay.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # Within a very short time, in a [[m|en|moment]]: ''Einen Augenblick, ich bin sofort bei Ihnen.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[sofortig]]

+ * [[Soforthilfe]]

+ * [[Sofortmaßnahme]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[sogleich]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}