immer German · revision 35416

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=8th century, Old High German glosses}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈɪmɐ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''immer''' (adverb; not inflected)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|goh|io|mēr|t1=ever|t2=more]], [[gmh|iemer]], [[m|gmh|immer]]: Old High German “iomēr” was joined together from the adverb behind [[je]] and the comparative behind [[mehr]].^(Kluge 2011|439)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|389)^(Wiktionary) The compound is limited to German and Dutch, with [[osx|eomēr]], [[gml|immer]] and Dutch [[m|nl|immer]].^(Duden 7 2020|389)^(Pfeifer 1993) The Grimms' dictionary notes that Old Saxon mostly still used the simple [[m|osx|ēo]], and that Low German has “jümmer”.^(DWB|10, 2068)

+

+ The first part, [[m|goh|io]] (earlier ⟨ēo⟩), is the accusative of the Germanic noun [[gem-pro|*aiwaz|t=age, eternity]] used as an adverb, like [[got|𐌰𐌹𐍅|tr=aiw]], [[non|æ]] and [[ang|ā]].^(Orel 2003)^(EWA|5, 139) The noun is related to [[la|aevum|t=age]] and [[grc|αἰών|tr=aiṓn|t=lifetime, age]].^(Orel 2003)^(Wiktionary) Because the stress fell on the first syllable, the long vowel of the second part was gradually weakened and the compound obscured.^(DWB|10, 2068)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''iomēr'' is recorded from the 8th century, first in glosses of about 790, then in Isidor, Otfrid and Notker, meaning “always, for ever, at all times, henceforth”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Köbler AHD)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Kluge takes the starting sense as “ever more, from now on”, later generalised to “always”.^(Kluge 2011|439) At first the adverb referred only or mainly to the future (Old and Middle High German “at some future time, ever, now and in future”); the widening to “at any time”, including the present and past, already begins in Middle High German.^(Pfeifer 1993) As the sense of ''iemer'' weakened, Middle High German formed it anew with ''mēre'', to bring back something of the old meaning.^(DWB|10, 2068)

+

+ Before a comparative it expresses a continuing increase, as in ''es wurde immer dunkler'' “it grew darker and darker”.^(Paul 2002) Joined with other words it gave [[immerdar]], [[immerfort]], [[immerhin]], [[immerzu]] and [[immergrün]], with the plant name [[Immergrün]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|389) Goethe's ''bis zum Dammweg ist's immer ein Stündchen'' shows the older concessive use now taken by ''immerhin''.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 8th century – Old High German ''iomēr'' is first recorded.^(Kluge 2011|439)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * c. 790 – ''iomēr'' appears in glosses.^(Köbler AHD)

+ * Middle High German period – ''iemer'' begins to mean “at any time”, not only in the future.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # [[m|en|always]], at all times; constantly (''so war es schon immer'', ''für immer'' “for ever”).^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Every time, whenever something happens.^(Wiktionary)^(Paul 2002)

+ # With a comparative: more and more (''immer dunkler'').^(Paul 2002)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' Unstressed, emphasising another adverb of time.^(Wiktionary)

+ # After ''wer'', ''was'', ''wie'' with ''auch'': -ever (''wer auch immer'' “whoever”).^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[immergrün]]

+ * [[immerdar]]

+ * [[immerfort]]

+ * [[immerhin]]

+ * [[immerwährend]]

+ * [[immerzu]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[je]]

+ * [[mehr]]

+ * [[nimmer]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}