Vertrag German · revision 35310

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=back-formation|attested=14th century|origins=gem-pro *draganą}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * [fɐˈtʁaːk], [fɛɐ̯ˈtʁaːk]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Northern and Central Germany, colloquial: /fərˈtrax/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Vertrag''' ''m'' (genitive Vertrages or Vertrags, plural Verträge)^(Wiktionary)

+ Beside ''vertrag'' the form ''vertracht'' (Middle High German ''vertraht'') was used in Central and Low German down to the 16th century, as in Luther's letters;^(DWB|25, 1921) Middle Low German had ''vordracht''.^(DWB|25, 1921) The Bremen dictionary still recorded ''verdracht'' as old-fashioned.^(DWB|25, 1921)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|vertrac]], recorded in late Middle High German from the 14th century, beside the Central German form [[m|gmh|vertraht]].^(Kluge 2011|957)^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE) The noun was made from the verb [[m|gmh|vertragen|t=to come to terms, agree]], reflexive [[vertragen|alt=sich vertragen]], in the sense of a mutual agreement.^(Kluge 2011|957)^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) That verb continues [[goh|firtragan|t=to bear, endure]], a prefixed form of [[m|goh|tragan|t=to carry]], the ancestor of [[tragen]].^(Paul 2002)^(Köbler MHD)^(Schützeichel 2012|334) The same noun is [[nl|verdrag]] and [[sv|fördrag]].^(Kluge 2011|957)

+

+ The verb goes back to [[gem-pro|*draganą|t=to draw, carry]], which also gave [[got|𐌳𐍂𐌰𐌲𐌰𐌽|tr=dragan|t=to draw, take on]], [[osx|dragan|t=to carry]], [[non|draga|t=to draw, pull]] and [[ang|dragan|t=to drag, draw]], the source of [[en|draw]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Kroonen 2013)^(Orel 2003) Pfeifer takes the original sense to be “to drag along the ground”, from which “to carry” (by people or beasts of burden) developed.^(Pfeifer 1993) Its further origin is unclear.^(Kroonen 2013) Pfeifer sets up a root [[ine-pro|*dʰerāgʰ-|t=to drag]] and places it beside the root of [[la|trahō|t=to pull, haul]], but Kroonen rules out the Latin verb because of its initial /t/ and finds no clear cognate outside Germanic.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Kroonen 2013)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Late Middle High German ''vertrac'' is first recorded in the 14th century.^(Kluge 2011|957) In the early glossaries it renders Latin ''pactio'' and ''conventio'', “an agreement, a covenant”, and the Grimms' dictionary finds that nearly all its records attach to the verb's sense “to settle, come to terms”.^(DWB|25, 1921)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 17th century the word was established as a native replacement for the loanword [[Kontrakt]];^(Kluge 2011|957)^(DWB|25, 1921) Philipp von Zesen already put it in place of ''Contract''.^(Kluge 2011|957)^(DWB|25, 1921) Joachim Heinrich Campe later wanted it used throughout for Latin ''pactum''.^(DWB|25, 1921)

+

+ Adelung defines a ''Vertrag'' as a promise given in return for a counter-promise, especially a solemn agreement, and names the compounds ''Friedensvertrag'', ''Bundesvertrag'' and ''Gränzvertrag''; everyday language, he notes, said ''Contract''.^(Adelung 1793|4, 1160) He distinguishes it from a ''Vergleich'', which presupposes that the matter was disputed before.^(Adelung 1793|4, 1160) Heinrich Heine formed a scornful diminutive ''Verträglein'' for the treaties concluded against liberalism.^(DWB|25, 1921)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 14th century – Late Middle High German ''vertrac'' is first recorded.^(Kluge 2011|957)

+ * 16th century – The by-form ''vertracht'' is still used in Central and Low German.^(DWB|25, 1921)

+ * 17th century – ''Vertrag'' becomes established as the German word for a contract, replacing ''Kontrakt''.^(Kluge 2011|957)

+ * 1793 – Adelung records ''Vertrag'' with ''Friedensvertrag'' and ''Bundesvertrag''.^(Adelung 1793|4, 1160)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A legally binding [[m|en|agreement]] between two or more parties, usually in writing; a [[m|en|contract]], or between states a [[m|en|treaty]]: ''Sie hat ihren Vertrag mit dem Verlag um zwei Jahre verlängert.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The document in which such an agreement is set down: ''Beide Seiten haben den Vertrag gestern unterschrieben.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[vertraglich]]

+ * [[Ehevertrag]]

+ * [[Mietvertrag]]

+ * [[Friedensvertrag]]

+ * [[Vorvertrag]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[vertragen]]

+ * [[tragen]]

+ * [[verträglich]]

+ * [[en|draw]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ In theatre, film and sport ''jemanden unter Vertrag nehmen'' is to sign someone up, and ''unter Vertrag stehen'' is to be under contract.^(Duden GWDS 1999) A ''leoninischer Vertrag'' in legal language is one in which one party takes all the benefit, after Aesop's fable of the lion.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}