schwierig German · revision 35293

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1350–1365, Heinrich der Teichner|origins=gem-pro *sweraną}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈʃviːrɪç/, [ˈʃʋiːʁɪç], /ˈʃviːrik/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''schwierig''' (strong nominative masculine singular schwieriger, comparative schwieriger, superlative am schwierigsten)^(Wiktionary)

+ The older spelling was ''schwürig'', and some writers distinguished ''schwürig'' “festering” from ''schwierig'' “difficult”.^(DWB|15, 2620)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|swiric|t=full of sores, festering]], also [[m|gmh|sweric]],^(Lexer 1872|2, 1381)^(Köbler MHD) derived from [[m|gmh|swer|t=pain, swelling, ulcer]], the noun belonging to [[schwären|t=to fester]].^(Kluge 2011|836)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|767) Kluge also gives Early New High German forms and [[gml|swerich]].^(Kluge 2011|836) That verb continues [[gem-pro|*sweraną]].^(Wiktionary)^(Kluge 2011|832)

+

+ Kluge explains the modern sense as a reinterpretation: used figuratively for “rebellious” from the 17th century, the adjective lost its link with its base and was drawn to [[schwer|t=heavy, difficult]], and its meaning was reshaped accordingly.^(Kluge 2011|836)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DWB|15, 2620) Wiktionary stresses that the two adjectives are unrelated.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Middle High German ''swiric'' glosses Latin ''ulcerosus'' “full of sores”, and the word is found in Heinrich der Teichner (1350–1365).^(Lexer 1872|2, 1381)^(Köbler MHD) Kluge dates the adjective to the 15th century.^(Kluge 2011|836)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The old sense “festering” lasted into the 18th and 19th centuries: Kramer's Italian dictionary of 1702 still has ''ein schwüriger Finger''.^(DWB|15, 2620)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|767) From the 16th century the word was applied to moods and attitudes, “irritable, discontented, rebellious”, and then to circumstances, as in ''schwürige Zeiten'' (1660).^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002) Goethe's ''Egmont'' still has the people becoming ''höchst schwierig'' “most unruly”.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ As a trait of character it came to mean “touchy, hard to handle”, as in Goethe's ''Keine Ferne macht dich schwierig'' and Hofmannsthal's comedy ''Der Schwierige''.^(Paul 2002) From the 18th century it was applied to things and tasks, “hard to carry out”, under the influence of ''schwer'', as in Schiller's ''Maria Stuart'', though Adelung in 1798 still found this use unusual in High German.^(Paul 2002)^(Adelung 1793|3, 1750) Duden dates the general sense “difficult” to about 1800.^(Duden 7 2020|767)

+

+ The noun [[Schwierigkeit]] meant “festering” in 1572 and “tumult” in 1660 before it took the sense “difficulty” in the 18th century.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1350–1365 – Middle High German ''swiric'' is used by Heinrich der Teichner.^(Köbler MHD)

+ * 16th century – The adjective is used for discontented, rebellious moods.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1572 – ''Schwierigkeit'' is recorded in the sense “festering”.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1660 – ''schwürige Zeiten'' “troubled times”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1702 – Kramer still records ''schwürig'' “festering”.^(DWB|15, 2620)

+ * c. 1800 – The general sense “difficult” prevails.^(Duden 7 2020|767)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|difficult|alt=Difficult]], hard, requiring great effort or skill: ''Die letzte Matheaufgabe war ziemlich schwierig.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Delicate, [[m|en|tricky]], calling for great care: ''Das Land steckt in einer schwierigen wirtschaftlichen Lage.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # Of a person, hard to deal with or to please: ''Der neue Mitbewohner ist ziemlich schwierig.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(obsolete)'' Rebellious, unruly, as in Goethe and Schiller.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Schwierigkeit]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[schwären]]

+ * [[Geschwür]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}