scheitern German · revision 35491

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=16th century|origins=gem-pro *skīdą}}

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+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈʃaɪ̯tɐn/^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==Forms==

+ '''scheitern''' (third-person singular present scheitert, past tense scheiterte, past participle gescheitert, auxiliary sein)^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a verb formed from [[m|de|Scheiter|t=logs]], an older plural of [[Scheit]] “log, split piece of wood”.^(Kluge 2011|799)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden GWDS 1999) Its literal meaning was “to break into pieces”, said of vehicles and above all of ships that were smashed.^(Kluge 2011|799)^(Pfeifer 1993) Kluge derives it from an older phrase “to become logs”, Pfeifer from phrases meaning “to go to pieces, break up into wreckage”.^(Kluge 2011|799)^(Pfeifer 1993) It was preceded in the 16th century by [[zerscheitern]] and [[m|de|zuscheitern]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DWB|14, 2482)

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+ The noun is [[gmh|schīt]], [[goh|scīt]], [[gem-pro|*skīdą|t=piece of wood]], literally “something split”, from the root of [[scheiden]].^(Kluge 2011|799)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary) The same word is [[non|skíð|t=billet; ski]], [[ang|scīd]] (English dialect [[m|en|shide]]) and [[ofs|skīd]].^(Kluge 2011|799)^(Pfeifer 1993) Beside the old plural with ⟨-e⟩, Middle High German formed a new plural [[m|gmh|schīter]] on the pattern of nouns in ⟨-er⟩, and the verb was built on it.^(Pfeifer 1993)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Luther uses ''zerscheitern'' in his Bible in the sense “to smash”, already figuratively: ''ich wil deine rosse und reuter zerscheitern'' (Jeremiah 51:21).^(DWB|14, 2482) Hans Sachs, in an edition of 1570, writes of a raft that ''zerscheittert'' on a rock near Grein.^(DWB|14, 2482)

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+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The simple verb appears in the 16th and 17th centuries; its use for shipwreck is recorded from the 17th century.^(Kluge 2011|799)^(Pfeifer 1993) Gryphius writes ''wie wenn ein schiff sich scheitert an den klippen'', still reflexive.^(DWB|14, 2482) Adelung gives the meaning “to break into pieces”, most often of ships, and already the figurative ''der Anschlag ist gescheitert'' “the plan has failed”.^(Adelung 1793)

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+ The figurative sense “to fail” has since become the main one, and the literal sense of ships is now dated.^(Duden GWDS 1999) In southern German dialects ''scheitern'' could also mean “to split wood into logs”.^(DWB|14, 2482)^(Adelung 1793) Compare [[Scheiterhaufen]] “pyre”, recorded from the 16th century.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 16th century – ''zerscheitern'', ''zuscheitern'' “to break into pieces”, and the first ''scheitern''.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Kluge 2011|799)

+ * 1570 – Hans Sachs uses ''zerscheittert'' of a raft.^(DWB|14, 2482)

+ * 1592 – ''holtz scheittern'' “to split wood”.^(DWB|14, 2482)

+ * 17th century – ''scheitern'' of shipwreck.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ * c. 1800 – Adelung records the figurative sense “to fail”.^(Adelung 1793)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|fail]], not to reach one's goal: ''Sie ist mit ihrer Klage vor Gericht gescheitert.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # (of a plan, effort) To fail, come to nothing, [[m|en|founder]]: ''Die Gespräche scheiterten am Streit ums Geld.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(dated)'' (of a ship) To be wrecked, [[m|en|run aground]]: ''Das Boot scheiterte an einem Riff.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

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+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Scheitern]]

+ * [[gescheitert]]

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+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Scheit]]

+ * [[Scheiterhaufen]]

+ * [[scheiden]]

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+ ==Usage notes==

+ The verb takes ''sein'' in the perfect.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) ''Eine gescheiterte Existenz'' is a person who has failed in life, and something ''zum Scheitern verurteilt'' is doomed to fail.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}