erst German · revision 35407

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=8th century, Benedictine Rule|origins=gem-pro *air}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /eːrst/, [ʔeːɐ̯st], [ʔɛɐ̯st]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''erst''' (adverb and particle; the ordinal numeral is ''erste'')^(Wiktionary)^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|ērste]], [[inh|goh|ērist]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*airista-|t=first, earliest]].^(Kluge 2011|257)^(Wiktionary) The same word is [[osx|ērist]], [[ang|ǣrest]] and [[ofs|ērost]], and today [[nl|eerst]].^(Kluge 2011|257)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DWB2|8, 2181) It is the superlative of a lost comparative, Old High German [[m|goh|ēriro|t=the earlier]], formed from [[gem-pro|*air|t=early]], which survives as [[non|ár|t=early]] and in [[eher]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DWB2|8, 2181)^(Kluge 2011|257)

+

+ As an adverb it was originally the accusative neuter of the adjective, as was [[la|prīmum|t=first]].^(DWB|3, 990) As an ordinal number the word replaced older ones such as Old High German [[m|goh|furisto]] (see [[Fürst]]) and has no etymological link with [[eins]].^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is in the Old High German Benedictine Rule (790/802): ''az erist'' “first, at first”.^(DWB2|8, 2181) In the Hildebrandslied (early 9th century) the warriors ''ærist'' “first” let their ash spears fly, and Otfrid (863/871) uses ''erist'' “first, for the first time”.^(DWB2|8, 2181) Schützeichel gives the senses “first, for the first time, first of all”.^(Schützeichel 2012|91)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From “first in time” the adverb developed the senses “before, beforehand”, then “not until” and “only”, and it came to stress a word or point to the future (''sei du erst mal so alt wie wir'').^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002) The Grimms note that it can stand both for Latin ''primum'' “first” and for ''demum'' “only then”.^(DWB|3, 990) Early New High German still used it for “at that time, then” and “recently”.^(FWB)

+

+ Phrases with prepositions gave [[zuerst]], from Old High German ''zi ērist'', and [[vorerst]], occasional in the 16th century and common from the second half of the 18th.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020) The adverb [[erstens]] dates from the 18th century and [[erstlich]] from the 16th.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020) In Swiss German ''erst noch'' means “moreover, on top of that”.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 790/802 – ''az erist'' “at first” in the Old High German Benedictine Rule.^(DWB2|8, 2181)

+ * Early 9th century – ''ærist'' in the Hildebrandslied.^(DWB2|8, 2181)

+ * 863/871 – ''erist'' in Otfrid's Gospel book.^(DWB2|8, 2181)

+ * 16th century – ''erstlich'' “firstly” appears.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020)

+ * 17th century – A new comparative ''ersterer'' “the former” is formed.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020)

+ * 18th century – ''erstens'' “firstly” appears.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # [[m|en|first]], before anything else: ''erst kommst du an die Reihe, dann er''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # At first, at the [[m|en|beginning]].^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Not until, not before: ''sie wird erst morgen kommen''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|only]], no longer ago than: ''ich habe ihn erst gestern gesprochen''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Only, no more than: ''er ist erst zehn Jahre alt''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Particle===

+ # Adds emphasis to a wish: ''wären wir doch erst zu Hause!''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # Marks an intensification: ''er ist schon frech, aber erst sein Bruder!'';^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) ''erst recht'' “all the more”.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[zuerst]]

+ * [[vorerst]]

+ * [[erstens]]

+ * [[erstlich]]

+ * [[Erstling]]

+ * [[erst recht]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[erster]]

+ * [[eher]]

+ * [[ehe]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}