singen German · revision 35474

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=765, Old High German glosses|origins=ine-pro *sengʷʰ-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈzɪŋən/, [ˈzɪŋŋ̩], [zɪŋ]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Austria: /ˈsɪŋɛn/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''singen''' (class 3 strong, third-person singular present singt, past tense sang, past participle gesungen, past subjunctive sänge, auxiliary haben)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|singen]], [[inh|goh|singan]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*singwan]], [[inh|gem-pro|*singwaną|t=to sing]], a strong verb.^(Kluge 2011|850)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary) The same verb is [[got|𐍃𐌹𐌲𐌲𐍅𐌰𐌽|tr=siggwan]], [[non|syngva]], [[ang|singan]], [[ofs|siunga]] and [[osx|singan]], and today [[nl|zingen]], [[en|sing]] and [[sv|sjunga]].^(Kluge 2011|850)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ It continues [[ine-pro|*sengʷʰ-]], also found in [[grc|ὀμφή|tr=omphḗ|t=voice of a god, oracle]] and [[cy|dehongli|t=to explain, interpret]].^(Kluge 2011|850)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary) Kluge concludes that the original sense was “to recite”, and Duden and Wahrig that it was the solemn delivery of prophecies and religious texts.^(Kluge 2011|850)^(Duden 7 2020|783)^(Wahrig Herkunftswörterbuch) Gothic supports this: [[m|got|𐍃𐌹𐌲𐌲𐍅𐌰𐌽|tr=siggwan]] usually translates Greek “to read aloud” in Wulfila's Bible, and the noun [[got|𐍃𐌰𐌲𐌲𐍅𐍃|tr=saggws]] means both “song” and “reading”.^(DWB|16, 1067) The Grimms' dictionary also reports Jacob Grimm's older idea of a link with [[Sange]] “bundle of ears of grain”, through a sense “to gather”.^(DWB|16, 1067)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''singan'' is recorded from 765 in glosses and then in many texts, among them the Isidor, Tatian, Otfrid, the Ludwigslied and Notker.^(Köbler AHD)^(Schützeichel 2012|282) Besides “to sing” and “to praise in song”, it meant “to play” an instrument, “to sound” and “to recite”, and was used for crowing and cackling;^(EWA|7, 1248)^(Pfeifer 1993) Pfeifer adds the speaking of spells.^(EWA|7, 1248)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Middle High German ''singen'' also meant “to compose poetry”, “to rejoice” and “to whistle, crackle”, and it was used of saying Mass.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Köbler MHD) The pair ''singen und sagen'', after Church Latin ''cantare et dicere'', first named one act of performance and was later split into lyric and epic.^(Paul 2002) From the Middle High German period the verb is used of birdsong; under the influence of Latin ''poeta'' it has also meant writing poetry since the 17th century.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ Other transferred uses describe high, even sounds: ringing ears, telegraph wires, a kettle.^(Paul 2002)^(Duden GWDS 1999) In the early 20th century criminals' slang gave the verb the sense “to confess under interrogation”, first recorded in 1907.^(Paul 2002) The old preterite plural ''sungen'' survives in the rhyming proverb ''wie die Alten sungen, so zwitschern die Jungen''.^(Paul 2002) The nouns [[Gesang]] and [[Sang]] belong to the same verb.^(Kluge 2011|850)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 765 – Old High German ''singan'' appears in glosses.^(Köbler AHD)

+ * Middle High German – Walther von der Vogelweide uses the verb of the nightingale.^(Paul 2002)

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

+ * 17th century – ''Singspiel'' “stage play with songs” is formed.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 18th century – ''Singsang'' “monotonous singing” is formed.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1907 – First record of the slang sense “to confess to the police”.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|sing]]: to produce a melody with the voice: ''Die Kinder sangen auf dem Heimweg.''; also of birds and of things that make a high, even sound: ''Der Wasserkessel singt auf dem Herd.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To sing a song or piece, or to sing a particular voice part: ''Sie singt Alt.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # With a result: ''sich heiser singen'', to sing oneself hoarse;^(Duden GWDS 1999) ''ein Kind in den Schlaf singen''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(literary, dated)'' To tell of something in verse or song: ''jemandes Lob singen'', to sing someone's praises.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(slang)'' To [[m|en|confess]] to the police or in court and incriminate accomplices.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Gesang]]

+ * [[Sang]]

+ * [[Sänger]]

+ * [[Singspiel]]

+ * [[Singsang]]

+ * [[Meistersinger]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Song]]

+ * [[en|sing]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}