Junge German · revision 35306

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Old High German Tatian|origins=ine-pro *h₂yuh₁n̥ḱós}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈjʊŋə/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Junge''' ''m'' (genitive Jungen, plural Jungen or Jungs or Jungens, diminutive Jünglein n or Jüngelchen n or Jüngchen n or (rare, often poetic) Jüngelein n)^(Wiktionary)

+ Older sources often have the strong form ''ein junger'', as in Götz von Berlichingen, Opitz and Fleming; the weak form fixed the modern ''ein Junge''.^(DWB|10, 2375)^(Wiktionary)

+ The plural ''Jungens'' spread from Low German;^(DWB|10, 2375) Wieland, Schiller and Goethe use it, but only in familiar speech.^(DWB|10, 2375) ''Jungs'' and ''Jungens'' are colloquial, especially in the north.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|junge|t=youth, young man]], [[inh|goh|jungo|t=young man]], the weak masculine form of the adjective [[jung]] used as a noun.^(DWB|10, 2375)^(Lexer 1872|1, 1489)^(Wiktionary) In the sense “boy” Kluge dates the noun to the 16th century.^(Kluge 2011|459) Pfeifer sees in it a shortening of phrases in which the adjective stood before a noun for a boy or a journeyman, and takes only the Middle High German noun “youth, young man” as a direct nominalisation of the adjective.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary DE)

+

+ The adjective is [[m|gmh|junc]], [[m|goh|jung]], from [[gem-pro|*jungaz|t=young]], also found in [[got|𐌾𐌿𐌲𐌲𐍃|tr=juggs]], [[non|ungr]], [[ang|geong]], [[ofs|jung]] and [[osx|jung]]; it continues in [[nl|jong]], [[en|young]] and [[sv|ung]].^(Kluge 2011|458)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Kroonen 2013) Kluge and Pfeifer take it as an extension in /k/ of the Indo-European adjective for “young”; the same extension appears in [[la|iuvencus|t=young bull]] and [[cy|ieuanc|t=young]], while the simple stem is in [[m|la|iuvenis|t=young]].^(Kluge 2011|458)^(Pfeifer 1993) Kroonen gives the commonly reconstructed form as a derivative of the word for “lifetime”, but would rather derive it from a verb “to mature”, preserved in [[txb|yäw-|t=to ripen]].^(Kroonen 2013)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In the Old High German Tatian ''jungo'' renders Latin ''adolescens'': ''jungo, ih quidu thir, arstant!'' “young man, I say to you, arise!”^(DWB|10, 2375) Middle High German ''junge'' means a youth or young man and, in the plural, the disciples of Christ.^(Lexer 1872|1, 1489)^(Köbler MHD)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Early New High German ''junge'' also meant a helper or apprentice, as in ''Bauernknecht'' beside ''Jägerjunge'' and ''Küchenjunge'', and an altar boy.^(FWB) Adelung found the word used for a boy only in low and familiar speech, often with a contemptuous note; politer usage said ''Knabe''.^(Adelung 1793|2, 1448) An apprentice, he notes, was called a ''Junge'' until his apprenticeship ended, whatever his age.^(Adelung 1793|2, 1448)

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+ As the normal word for “boy” ''Junge'' comes from Central and Low German usage, and it prevailed over ''Knabe'' only in the 20th century; in the south ''Bub'' is usual.^(Wiktionary)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden GWDS 1999) Colloquially it also means a young man and serves as a familiar form of address, and in card games it names the jack.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 8th century – The adjective ''jung'' is first recorded in Old High German glosses.^(EWA|5, 315)^(Kluge 2011|458)

+ * 9th century – The neuter ''jungo'' “young animal” appears.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 16th century – ''Junge'' is recorded in the sense “boy”.^(Kluge 2011|459)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1793 – Adelung calls the word low and familiar and prefers ''Knabe''.^(Adelung 1793|2, 1448)

+ * 20th century – ''Junge'' becomes the standard word for “boy”.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(especially northern Germany)'' A [[m|en|boy]], a male child; also a son: ''Der Junge spielt mit seiner Schwester im Hof.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' A young man; often used as a familiar form of address: ''Na, Junge, wie geht's?''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(dated)'' Short for [[Lehrjunge]]: an [[m|en|apprentice]].^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' In card games, the [[m|en|jack]] (knave), also called [[Bube]].^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Lehrjunge]]

+ * [[Schuljunge]]

+ * [[Bauernjunge]]

+ * [[Küchenjunge]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[jung]]

+ * [[Jugend]]

+ * [[Jünger]]

+ * [[Jüngling]]

+ * [[Junker]]

+ * [[en|young]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ A ''schwerer Junge'' is colloquially a violent criminal, and ''die blauen Jungs'' are sailors, after their blue uniform;^(Duden GWDS 1999) ''Junge, Junge!'' expresses surprise.^(Duden GWDS 1999) The neuter ''das Junge'' “young animal”, Old High German ''jungo'' or ''jungi'' (9th century), is an older nominalisation of the same adjective, with its own verb ''jungen'' “to give birth to young” (15th century).^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Köbler AHD)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}