bedeuten German · revision 35519

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=late 10th century, Old High German glosses|origins=gem-pro *þiudijaną}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /bəˈdɔɪ̯tn̩/, /bəˈdɔɪ̯tən/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''bedeuten''' (third-person singular present bedeutet, past tense bedeutete, past participle bedeutet, auxiliary haben)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|bediuten]], [[inh|goh|bidiuten|t=to express, signify]], formed [[af|de|be-|deuten]].^(EWA|2, 699)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary) The same formation is [[gml|bedǖden]], [[dum|bedieden]], [[nl|beduiden]] and [[ofs|bithiōda]]; [[sv|betyda]] and [[da|betyde]] were taken from Middle Low German.^(EWA|2, 699)^(DWB2|4, 412)

+

+ The base verb, [[goh|diuten]], often meant “to say in the vernacular” in the old language, and was associated with [[m|goh|diot|t=people]] (compare [[deutsch]]).^(Kluge 2011|194) Pfeifer and Wiktionary derive it from [[gem-pro|*þeudō|t=people]], making its first sense “to explain to the people, make understandable”; that noun is [[ine-pro|*tewtéh₂|t=people, land]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary) Kluge doubts that the verb can be a semantic derivative of the word for people, pointing to [[ang|ġeþēodan|t=to translate]] and [[non|þýða|t=to interpret]].^(Kluge 2011|194) He notes that the base of the adjective also meant “strength”, and that strength often gives words for meaning, as in [[grc|δύναμις|tr=dúnamis|t=power; meaning]] and [[la|vīs|t=force; meaning]].^(Kluge 2011|194)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''bidiuten'' occurs only once, in a gloss to the Old Testament of the end of the 10th or the beginning of the 11th century, rendering Latin ''comprehendere'' in the sense “to express, signify”: the seven fat cows and full ears in Pharaoh's dream ''peduten'' seven years of plenty (Genesis 41:26).^(EWA|2, 699)^(Köbler AHD)^(DWB2|4, 412)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Middle High German ''bediuten'' meant to indicate, make understandable and interpret, to announce or make known, to judge, and to bring someone to reason; reflexive ''sich bediuten'' was “to mean, be understood”.^(Lexer 1872|1, 141)^(Pfeifer 1993) From the early 12th century it is used of dreams and omens that point to the future: Konrad von Würzburg asks ''waz mac bediuten dirre troum?'' “what may this dream mean?”.^(DWB2|4, 412) Early New High German used it constantly of the sense of words and names: Geiler von Kaysersberg explains what a name or a Latin word ''bedeutet'' in German.^(DWB|1, 1225)

+

+ The senses “to give someone to understand” (with the dative) and “to instruct, set someone right” (with the accusative) were common in the 18th century, in Goethe, Schiller, Wieland and Klinger;^(Paul 2002)^(Adelung 1793|1, 780) Adelung lists the second first.^(Paul 2002)^(Adelung 1793|1, 780) They are now literary or dated.^(Duden GWDS 1999) The sense “to be important, matter” gave the present participle [[bedeutend]], “significant”, in the 18th century, earlier “pointing to something, expressing something”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Late 10th or early 11th century – Old High German ''peduten'' in a gloss to Genesis.^(DWB2|4, 412)^(Köbler AHD)

+ * c. 1120–1130 – The Millstatt Genesis asks what a dream ''bedoute''.^(DWB2|4, 412)

+ * c. 1270–1275 – Konrad von Würzburg's ''Engelhard'' uses it of a dream.^(DWB2|4, 412)

+ * 18th century – ''bedeutend'' takes the sense “significant”.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * Late 18th century – The adjective ''bedeutsam'' appears.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|mean]], [[m|en|signify]]: of a sign, word or symbol, to stand for a given content: ''Was bedeutet dieses Schild?''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To entail, amount to, have as a consequence.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # To be or constitute, when seen in a certain way: ''Das bedeutet ein großes Risiko.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # To [[m|en|portend]]: to be a sign of something to come.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To matter, be important (to someone): ''Titel bedeuten ihr nichts.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(formal)'' To give someone to understand, to [[m|en|signal]] (with the dative).^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(dated)'' To instruct or inform someone (with the accusative).^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Bedeutung]]

+ * [[bedeutend]]

+ * [[bedeutsam]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[deuten]]

+ * [[Deutung]]

+ * [[deutlich]]

+ * [[deutsch]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The proverb ''Perlen bedeuten Tränen'' (“pearls mean tears”) says that a gift of pearls foretells sorrow;^(Duden GWDS 1999) GWDS traces the superstition to the 9th century.^(Duden GWDS 1999) ''Das hat nichts zu bedeuten'' is “that is of no importance”.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}