dabei German · revision 35413

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=9th century}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /daˑˈbaɪ̯/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''dabei''' (adverb)^(Wiktionary)

+ Middle High German ''dâbî'' is usual from the end of the 11th century;^(DWB2|6, 14) ''darbei'' spread after the middle of the 15th century and was almost as common as ''dabei'' until about 1700, and since the middle of the 18th century only ''dabei'' has been used.^(DWB2|6, 14)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|de|da#1|bei]], already [[goh|dār bī]] and [[gmh|dâbî]].^(DWB2|6, 14)^(Paul 2002)^(Wiktionary) The same compound is [[osx|thar bi]], [[ofs|therbī]], [[ang|þǣr-bi]], [[nl|daarbij]] and [[yi|דערבײַ|tr=derbay]], with English [[m|en|thereby]].^(DWB2|6, 14)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''dārbī'' is recorded from the 9th century in glosses, then in Notker, meaning “with it, beside it, thereby”.^(Köbler AHD) Paul notes that already in Old High German it was used not only of place but also for abstract relations.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Until the 14th century, and again in the 16th, the two parts could be separated by other words; since the 18th century this split (''da … bei'') is found in colloquial northern German.^(DWB2|6, 14) Phrases include ''ich bin dabei'' “I am ready to take part”, as in Goethe's ''ich bin dabey mit seele und leib'', and ''es ist nichts dabei'' “there is no harm in it” (18th century).^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 9th century – Old High German ''dārbī'' is first recorded.^(Köbler AHD)

+ * End of the 11th century – Middle High German ''dâbî'' becomes the usual form.^(DWB2|6, 14)

+ * Mid-15th century – ''darbei'' spreads beside ''dabei''.^(DWB2|6, 14)

+ * 18th century – ''es ist nichts dabei'' is recorded.^(Paul 2002)

+ * Mid-18th century – ''dabei'' becomes the only form.^(DWB2|6, 14)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # Near it, with it, by it (''er öffnete das Paket, ein Brief war nicht dabei'').^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Present at something; taking part (''ich bin dabei!'' “count me in”).^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # At the same time, in the course of it (''sie nähte und hörte Musik dabei''); with ''zu'' and an infinitive, in the process of doing something.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # In this matter, in doing so (''ohne sich etwas dabei zu denken'').^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # And yet, although actually (introducing a contradiction).^(Wiktionary)^(Wiktionary DE)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[dabeisein]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[da#1]]

+ * [[bei]]

+ * [[wobei]]

+ * [[hierbei]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}