Herz German · revision 35313

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 765, Old High German glosses|origins=ine-pro *ḱérd}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /hɛrts/, [hɛʁt͡s], [hɛɐ̯t͡s]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Herz''' ''n'' (genitive Herzens or (very rare) Herzes, plural Herzen, diminutive Herzchen n or Herzlein n or ((also) Ruhrpöttisch) Herzken n or Herzerl n)^(Wiktionary)

+ Middle High German ''herze'' was shortened to ''herz'' because of the strong case forms that the word developed beside its weak ones.^(DWB|10, 1207)^(EWA|4, 994) ''Herz'' is already Luther's usual form, but ''herze'' lasted into modern times, in Goethe and Heine.^(DWB|10, 1207)^(Paul 2002)

+ The genitive was ''Herzen'' before ''Herzens'' took over in Early New High German, hence compounds such as ''Herzenslust''.^(Paul 2002) Medical language also inflects it strongly, ''des Herzes, dem Herz''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|herze]], [[inh|goh|herza]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*hertā]], [[inh|gem-pro|*hertô|t=heart]].^(Kluge 2011|413)^(Wiktionary)^(Kroonen 2013) The same word is [[osx|herta]], [[got|𐌷𐌰𐌹𐍂𐍄𐍉|tr=hairtō]], [[non|hjarta]], [[ang|heorte]] and [[ofs|herte]], continued in [[nl|hart]], [[en|heart]] and [[sv|hjärta]].^(Kluge 2011|413)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Kroonen 2013)

+

+ It goes back to the root noun [[ine-pro|*ḱérd|t=heart]], which had ablaut in its forms: nominative *ḱḗr, genitive *ḱr̥dós.^(Kluge 2011|413)^(Kroonen 2013)^(Wiktionary) The same word is [[hit|kard-]], [[grc|καρδία|tr=kardía]] and epic [[m|grc|κῆρ|tr=kêr]], [[la|cor]], [[sga|cride]], [[lt|širdis|alt=širdìs]] and [[ru|сердце|tr=serdce]]; [[sa|हृद्|tr=hṛ́d]] shows an unexplained variant with an aspirated initial.^(Kluge 2011|413)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Kroonen 2013) The Germanic word was remade as a neuter n-stem.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Its further origin is unclear.^(Kluge 2011|413) Pfeifer mentions the idea that the heart was named as “the leaper”, from the root of [[Scherz]] and [[schrecken]],^(Pfeifer 1993) and the Grimms thought of Greek words for swinging and quivering.^(DWB|10, 1207)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''herza'' is found from the 8th century, first in glosses of about 765, and then in the Benedictine Rule, Isidor, the Tatian, Otfrid, Notker and many other texts.^(Köbler AHD)^(EWA|4, 994)^(Schützeichel 2012|151) It meant the heart as an organ and as the inner self, the seat of feeling, will and thought, of the soul, of virtue and vice, and of courage; it rendered Latin ''cor'', ''animus'', ''mens'' and ''pectus''.^(EWA|4, 994) It was often personified, and ''mîn lieba herza'' “my dearest heart” could stand for Christ.^(EWA|4, 994)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the earliest times the heart was the seat of the feelings and of courage.^(Duden 7 2014|382) Many phrases show this: ''sich etwas zu Herzen nehmen'', ''sein Herz ausschütten'', and ''sich ein Herz fassen'' “to pluck up courage”, which Maaler already records.^(Duden 7 2014|382)^(Paul 2002) The adjectives followed the same lines: ''herzlich'', ''herzlos'' and ''herzig'' (16th century) of feeling, Middle High German ''herzehaft'' “brave, sensible” of courage;^(Duden 7 2014|382)^(Pfeifer 1993) ''herzhaft'' has meant “hearty, savoury” of food since the 19th century.^(Duden 7 2014|382)^(Pfeifer 1993) The verb ''herzen'' “to hug” dates from the 15th century, while Middle High German ''herzen'' had meant “to give a heart”.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ The word was also transferred to the innermost, best or dearest part of something.^(Duden 7 2014|382) ''Herzblatt'' was at first the innermost and most tender leaf of a plant (17th century) and became a pet name in the 18th.^(Pfeifer 1993) Luther's Bible gave ''ein Herz und eine Seele sein'' (Acts 4:32) and ''wes das Herz voll ist, des geht der Mund über'' (Matthew 12:34).^(Paul 2002) German ''Herz'' was borrowed into Silesian Polish as ''herc'', the suit of hearts.^(LWP)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 765 – ''herza'' appears in Old High German glosses.^(Köbler AHD)

+ * 15th century – The verb ''herzen'' “to hug” appears.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 16th century – ''herzig'' is formed;^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DWB|10, 1207) Luther usually writes ''herz''.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DWB|10, 1207)

+ * 17th century – ''Herzblatt'' names the innermost leaf of a plant;^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002) ''einem rutscht das Herz in die Hose'' is recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)

+ * 18th century – ''Herzblatt'' becomes a pet name;^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002) ''Hand aufs Herz'' and ''Herzschlag'' are recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)

+ * 19th century – ''herzhaft'' takes on the sense “savoury”.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[m|en|heart]], the organ that pumps the blood: ''Vor Aufregung schlug ihr das Herz schneller.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The heart of certain animals as food: ''Es gab geschmortes Herz vom Rind.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # The heart as the seat of the [[m|en|feelings]], of love and of courage: ''Er hat ein gutes Herz.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A dearly loved person, [[m|en|darling]], mostly in address: ''Komm her, mein Herz!''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The innermost part of a plant, or the [[m|en|centre]] or core of something: ''Das Hotel liegt im Herzen der Altstadt.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # A heart shape, or an object in that shape: ''ein Herz aus Lebkuchen''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # ''(card games)'' [[m|en|hearts|alt=Hearts]], the suit; a game with hearts as trumps; a card of that suit.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[beherzt]]

+ * [[Herzblatt]]

+ * [[herzhaft]]

+ * [[herzig]]

+ * [[herzlich]]

+ * [[Herzschlag]]

+ * [[herzen]]

+ * [[herzallerliebst]]

+ * [[Herzblut]]

+ * [[Herzchen]]

+ * [[beherzigen]]

+ * [[herzlos]]

+ * [[Herzeleid]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Courage]]

+ * [[en|heart]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Hand aufs Herz'' (18th century) is a call to be honest.^(Paul 2002) ''Das Herz auf der Zunge tragen'', to say openly what one feels, goes back to Luther.^(Paul 2002) ''Jemanden auf Herz und Nieren prüfen'' is colloquial for “to examine someone thoroughly”.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}