verlangen German · revision 35490

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=14th century|origins=goh langēn}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /fɛʁˈlaŋən/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''verlangen''' (third-person singular present verlangt, past tense verlangte, past participle verlangt, auxiliary haben)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is late [[inh|gmh|verlangen|t=to long for]], formed with the prefix [[ver-]] on [[langen]], [[inh|goh|langēn|t=to long for]].^(Kluge 2011|954)^(Duden 7 2020|899)^(Wiktionary) Old High German also had [[m|goh|belangēn]], and [[osx|langōn]] is the Old Saxon form.^(Kluge 2011|954) The verb goes back to [[gem-pro|*langōną|t=to long for]], also continued in [[non|langa]] and [[ang|longian]], whence English [[m|en|long|t=to yearn]].^(Kluge 2011|954)^(Wiktionary)^(Duden 7 2020|899)

+

+ Speakers have always connected the verb with the adjective [[lang]], and Paul derives it from that adjective, with the first meaning “to become too long”.^(Paul 2002)^(Kluge 2011|954) Kluge and Duden hold that the connection is a popular one and that the verb belongs etymologically with [[gelingen]].^(Kluge 2011|954)^(Duden 7 2020|899) Wiktionary calls its origin uncertain.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''langēn'' was used impersonally with the accusative of the person, “someone longs for something”, in Otfrid, Notker and glosses;^(Schützeichel 2012|192) ''belangēn'' in Notker meant “it seems long to someone, someone longs”.^(Schützeichel 2012|192) Middle High German ''verlangen'' meant “to long for intensely”.^(Duden 7 2020|899)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The verb was at first impersonal: ''mich verlangt nach'' “I long for”, as in Luther's ''Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich'' (Psalm 25:1).^(Paul 2002)^(Adelung 1793) The meaning “to desire” developed from “to seem long (in time)”.^(Duden 7 2020|899)^(Duden GWDS 1999) The personal construction ''ich verlange nach'' became more usual later.^(Paul 2002) From it came the transitive use for an explicit demand: ''er verlangt einen hohen Preis''.^(Paul 2002) With a thing as subject it came to mean “to require”: ''das Unternehmen verlangt Mut''.^(Paul 2002)

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+ Adelung still called the impersonal use the most common.^(Adelung 1793) The substantivized infinitive ''Verlangen'' “longing, desire” is recorded from the 16th century.^(Duden 7 2020|899) Lessing used ''unverlangt'' “unsolicited”.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 9th century – Old High German ''langēn'' “to long for”.^(Schützeichel 2012|192)^(Kluge 2011|558)

+ * 14th century – Late Middle High German ''verlangen''.^(Kluge 2011|954)

+ * 16th century – The noun ''Verlangen'' appears.^(Duden 7 2020|899)

+ * 18th century – Lessing and Klopstock still use the impersonal ''mich verlangt''.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|demand]], insist on having: ''Die Kunden verlangten ihr Geld zurück.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To [[m|en|require]], call for: ''Diese Aufgabe verlangt viel Geduld.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # To ask as a price or payment: ''Was verlangen Sie für das Fahrrad?''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # To ask to see (a document): ''Der Schaffner verlangte die Fahrkarten.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # To ask to speak to (someone, especially on the telephone): ''Sie werden am Telefon verlangt.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(formal)'' To [[m|en|long]] for, yearn after (with ''nach''): ''Er verlangte nach einem Glas Wasser.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Verlangen]]

+ * [[unverlangt]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[langen]]

+ * [[erlangen]]

+ * [[gelangen]]

+ * [[gelingen]]

+ * [[en|long]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The impersonal ''mich verlangt nach …'' “I long for …” is now old-fashioned and literary.^(Paul 2002) In Switzerland the person asked can stand in the dative: ''jemandem die Papiere verlangen''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}