wechseln German · revision 35356

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=8th century, Old High German glosses|origins=gem-pro *wihslaz}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * [ˈvɛksl̩n]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''wechseln''' (third-person singular present wechselt, past tense wechselte, past participle gewechselt, auxiliary haben)^(Wiktionary)

+ Alemannic and Swabian texts have ''wihseln'' in Middle High German, and Middle German sources of the 15th century have ''wesseln'' without the /k/.^(DWB|27, 2730)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|wëhseln]], [[inh|goh|wehsalōn]], [[inh|gem-pro|*wihslōną|t=to change, exchange]], formed from the noun [[Wechsel]], [[goh|wehsal]], [[gem-pro|*wihslaz|t=change]].^(Kluge 2011|974)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary) Paul and the Grimms also note a verb with the suffix -jan, seen in [[ang|wixlan]].^(Paul 2002)^(DWB|27, 2730) The noun is [[osx|wehsal]], [[ofs|wixle|t=exchange, trade]] and [[non|víxl|t=exchange]]; the verb continues in [[nl|wisselen]].^(Kluge 2011|974)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Kluge explains the noun as formed with the suffix -sla- from the base also found in [[la|vicis|t=change, turn]] and probably in [[got|𐍅𐌹𐌺𐍉|tr=wikō|t=order, turn]]; another extension of it gives [[la|vītō|t=to avoid]] and [[goh|wīsan|t=to avoid]].^(Kluge 2011|974) Pfeifer connects it with the root [[ine-pro|*weyk-|t=to bend, turn, yield]], also behind [[weichen]] and [[weich]],^(Pfeifer 1993) and Duden takes the first sense to be “giving way, making room”, with [[Woche]] as a close relative.^(Duden 7 2007)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''wehsalen'' “to exchange, acquire by exchange, lend” is first recorded in glosses before about 790,^(Köbler AHD) and ''wehsalōn'' in the 8th century.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Paul distinguishes two lines.^(Paul 2002) Transitively it meant exchanging one thing for another, a dwelling, clothes or horses, and with several people exchanging things mutually, as glances, words, letters or rings;^(Paul 2002) ''Geld wechseln'' goes back to Old High German, at first as a trade.^(Paul 2002) The intransitive use is not yet Middle High German: the moon, the weather and opinions ''wechseln'', and Goethe writes of police officers who relieved each other every three hours.^(Paul 2002) In hunting, game ''wechselt'' when it moves from one area to another, hence ''Wildwechsel''.^(Paul 2002)^(Wiktionary DE)

+

+ The noun ''Wechsel'' entered the payment system in 1383 as a rendering of [[m|it|cambio]], and it meant the bill of exchange from 1712, shortened from ''Wechselbrief''.^(Paul 2002)^(Kluge 2011|974)^(Pfeifer 1993) Prefixed verbs are old: ''verwechseln'' goes back to Old High German, and ''abwechseln'' is recorded from the 15th century.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before about 790 – Old High German ''wehsalen'' appears in glosses.^(Köbler AHD)

+ * 8th century – Old High German ''firwehsalen'', the ancestor of ''verwechseln''.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1383 – The noun ''Wechsel'' renders Italian ''cambio'' in the payment system.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 15th century – ''abwechseln'' is first recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1712 – ''Wechsel'' is first used for the bill of exchange.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|change]], replace something with another of the same kind: ''Sie hat letztes Jahr den Arbeitgeber gewechselt.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) ''Den Besitzer wechseln'' is to pass into someone else's hands.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # To [[m|en|exchange]] with someone: ''Die beiden wechselten einen kurzen Blick.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) ''Ein paar Worte wechseln'' is to speak briefly.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # To change (money) into smaller notes or coins, or into another currency: ''Kannst du mir einen Fünfziger wechseln?''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # To [[m|en|vary]], alternate, change repeatedly: ''Das Wetter wechselt hier sehr schnell.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # With ''sein'': to move from one place to another, to switch: ''Der Spieler ist im Winter zu einem anderen Verein gewechselt.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE) With ''haben'': to move something to another place.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(hunting)'' Of game, to cross from one area to another.^(Paul 2002)^(Wiktionary DE)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[abwechseln]]

+ * [[auswechseln]]

+ * [[einwechseln]]

+ * [[verwechseln]]

+ * [[Wechsler]]

+ * [[wechselhaft]]

+ * [[wechselseitig]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Wechselbalg]]

+ * [[Wechselstrom]]

+ * [[Wechselstube]]

+ * [[Wechsel]]

+ * [[Woche]]

+ * [[weichen]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}