zwischen German · revision 35414

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound, clipping|attested=9th century|origins=ine-pro *dwís}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈtsvɪʃən/, [ˈtsʋɪʃən], [ˈtsʋɪʃn̩]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''zwischen''' (preposition with the dative or accusative)^(Wiktionary)^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[gmh|zwischen]], shortened from Middle High German “in zwischen”, “enzwischen”, Old High German “in zuiskēn”, “untar zwiskēn” “in the middle of two”.^(Duden 7 2020|960)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002) The second word of the phrase is the dative plural of the adjective [[inh|goh|zwiski|t=twofold, in pairs, (plural) both]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*twisk]], [[inh|gem-pro|*twiskaz|t=twofold]], which otherwise died out.^(Kluge 2011|1021)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary)^(Paul 2002) Related are [[osx|twisk|t=twofold]], [[ofs|tuisk]], [[gml|twisken]], Dutch [[m|nl|tussen]] and [[ang|betweox]]; compare English [[m|en|betwixt]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DWB|32, 1321)^(Kluge 2011|1021)

+

+ The adjective was formed with the suffix ⟨-ko-⟩ from the multiplicative adverb [[ine-pro|*dwís|t=twice]], also behind [[Zwirn]] and [[Zwilling]]; its base is [[zwei]].^(Kluge 2011|1021)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The adjective ''zwiski'' “twofold, both” is recorded from the 8th century, and the phrases ''untar zwiskēn'' “in the middle of two” and ''untar in zwiskēn'' “among one another” from the 9th.^(Kluge 2011|1021)^(Pfeifer 1993) An Old High German gloss has ''in zuiski'' “in turn”.^(DWB|32, 1321)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ As the fixed phrase became a preposition, it took over the sense “between” from [[unter]], and like other prepositions it governs the dative for position and the accusative for movement (''er steht zwischen mir und dir'' – ''sie stellt sich zwischen dich und mich'').^(Paul 2002) It has been used of time since the 14th century.^(Pfeifer 1993) It is also applied to states and relations (''er schwebt zwischen Furcht und Hoffnung'' “he hovers between fear and hope”), and loosely for “among”, as already in Luther's ''und säete Unkraut zwischen den Weizen'' “and sowed weeds among the wheat”.^(Paul 2002) Middle High German ''enzwischen'' also gave the adverb [[inzwischen]].^(Duden 7 2020|960)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 8th century – Old High German ''zwiski'' “twofold” is recorded.^(Kluge 2011|1021)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 9th century – ''untar zwiskēn'' “between” is recorded.^(Kluge 2011|1021)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * Middle High German – The phrase is shortened to ''zwischen''.^(Duden 7 2020|960)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 14th century – ''zwischen'' is first used of time.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Preposition===

+ # With the dative: [[m|en|between]], in the space bounded by two things (''er steht dort zwischen seinem Vater und seinem Bruder'').^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # With the dative: among, in the midst of (''der Brief lag zwischen alten Papieren'').^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # With the accusative: into a position between (''er stellt das Auto zwischen zwei Straßenbäume'').^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # Between two points in time or two values.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ # Expressing a relation, a difference or a state between two things.^(Paul 2002)^(Wiktionary DE)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[dazwischen]]

+ * [[inzwischen]]

+ * [[Zwischenraum]]

+ * [[Zwischenzeit]]

+ * [[Zwischenfall]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[zwei]]

+ * [[Zwirn]]

+ * [[Zwilling]]

+ * [[en|betwixt]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}