Schweizer German · revision 35521

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=14th century|origins=de Schwyz}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈʃvaɪ̯t͡sɐ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Schweizer''' ''m'' (genitive Schweizers, plural Schweizer, feminine Schweizerin)^(Wiktionary)

+ The Grimms' dictionary records the older spellings ''Schweynczer'' (15th century), ''Schweitzer'' and ''Schweytzer''.^(DWB|15, 2471)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|swīzer]], first recorded in late Middle High German in the 14th century.^(Kluge 2011|834)^(Köbler MHD)^(Wiktionary DE) It is formed [[af|de|Schweiz|-er]], and the country is named after the canton of [[Schwyz]].^(Wiktionary)^(Köbler MHD)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Late Middle High German ''swīzer'' named an inhabitant of the Swiss Confederation, or someone who had come from there.^(Kluge 2011|834)^(Wiktionary DE)^(Köbler MHD)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Because Swiss men were known abroad for certain occupations, the name was transferred to those occupations.^(Kluge 2011|834)^(Wiktionary) Above all they served in foreign armies, and as bodyguards and doorkeepers of great houses;^(DWB|15, 2471)^(Adelung 1793|3, 1738) Adelung explains that courts liked to choose Swiss for their loyalty and stature, so that the word came to mean such guards and doormen of any origin.^(DWB|15, 2471)^(Adelung 1793|3, 1738) Paul dates the sense “doorkeeper” from the 16th to the 19th century; today it survives only for the papal guard, the [[Schweizergarde]].^(Paul 2002)^(Kluge 2011|834)

+

+ From the 17th century a ''Schweizer'' was also a man who looked after cows, and in 19th-century farming a trained milker, since such specialists first came from Switzerland.^(Kluge 2011|834)^(Paul 2002)^(Duden GWDS 1999) In Catholic churches of some regions it names the sacristan, after the likeness of his dress to that of the Swiss Guard.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) The compound [[Schweizerdegen]] meant a two-edged weapon of the Swiss mercenaries around 1600, and after about 1740 a printer who is both compositor and pressman.^(Paul 2002)

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+ The doorkeeper sense was borrowed into Polish as [[m|pl|szwajcar|t=doorman, caretaker]], recorded in 1633, and into Russian as [[m|ru|швейцар|tr=švejcar|t=doorman]].^(LWP)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 14th century – Late Middle High German ''swīzer'' is recorded.^(Kluge 2011|834)

+ * 15th century – The spelling ''Schweynczer'' is recorded.^(DWB|15, 2471)

+ * 16th century – First use for a doorkeeper.^(Kluge 2011|834)^(Paul 2002)

+ * c. 1600 – The ''Schweizerdegen'', a sword of the Swiss mercenaries.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1633 – Polish ''szwajcar'' “doorman” is recorded.^(LWP)

+ * 17th century – First use for a man who tends cows.^(Kluge 2011|834)

+ * c. 1740 – ''Schweizerdegen'' comes to mean a printer who both sets and prints.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|Swiss]] man; a native or citizen of [[m|en|Switzerland]].^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(agriculture)'' A trained [[m|en|milker]].^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(regional)'' A [[m|en|sacristan]] in Catholic churches.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A member of the papal [[Schweizergarde|alt=Swiss Guard]].^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Short for ''Schweizer Käse'': Swiss [[m|en|cheese]].^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(dated)'' A [[m|en|doorman]].^(Wiktionary)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # ''(indeclinable)'' Swiss, of or from Switzerland: ''ein Schweizer Taschenmesser''.^(Wiktionary DE)^(DWB|15, 2472)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Stallschweizer]]

+ * [[Schweizerin]]

+ * [[schweizerisch]]

+ * [[Schweizergarde]]

+ * [[Schweizerdegen]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Schweiz]]

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+ ==Usage notes==

+ The adjective is the noun used attributively, like ''Frankfurter'' or ''Thüringer'', and does not inflect.^(DWB|15, 2472) Adelung also records ''Schweizer'' as the name of a striped American ground squirrel, whose coat recalled the breast-piece of Swiss dress.^(Adelung 1793|3, 1738)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}