Mittel German · revision 35529

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=12th century, Middle High German|origins=ine-pro *médʰyos}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈmɪtəl/, [ˈmɪtl̩]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Mittel''' ''n'' (genitive Mittels, plural Mittel)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|mittel|t=middle; means, mediation]], the adjective [[mittel]] used as a noun.^(Kluge 2011|628)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020) That adjective is [[goh|mittil|t=middle]], a derivative of the Germanic adjective in [[got|𐌼𐌹𐌳𐌾𐌹𐍃|tr=midjis|t=middle]], which also gave [[Mitte]].^(Kluge 2011|628)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Kluge 2011|627) Kluge reconstructs it as [[gem-pro|*medlija-]], found also in [[ang|middel]] and [[osx|middil-]] in compounds; without the /j/ and with a full-grade suffix it is [[non|meðal|t=middle]].^(Kluge 2011|628) The noun is also [[gml|middel]], [[nl|middel]] and [[en|middle]].^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ The Germanic adjective continues [[ine-pro|*médʰyos|t=middle]], also found in [[sa|मध्य|tr=mádhya]], [[la|medius]] and [[grc|μέσος|tr=mésos]].^(Kluge 2011|627)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The noun is Middle High German; the Old High German word was only an adjective.^(DWB|12, 2381) Köbler's earliest source for it dates from before 1190, and gives the senses “middle, centre, middle way, aid, means, mediation, obstacle, interruption”.^(Köbler MHD) Pfeifer adds “what stands in the middle, separating and hindering”.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The noun first meant the middle or the middle part, and until the 18th century it was used like [[Mitte]]: Luther writes of a people coming down ''aus dem mittel des Landes'' (Judges 9:37).^(Paul 2002)^(DWB|12, 2381) It then meant what lies between two things or two opposites, also what separates them, and the way of getting past this obstacle to a goal.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020) So it came, like Latin ''medium'', to mean “means”: what stands between the doer and the aim and serves to reach it; hence [[vermitteln]].^(Kluge 2011|628)^(Duden 7 2020)

+

+ Since the 17th century the plural ''Mittel'' alone means property, money, capital, whence ''bemittelt'' “well off” (17th century) and ''mittellos'' “penniless” (19th century).^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Kluge 2011|628) The preposition [[mittels]] “by means of” arose in the 17th century from phrases such as ''durch Mittel'', as a frozen genitive.^(Pfeifer 1993) The sense “medicine, remedy” is a narrowing of “means”.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1190 – First record of the Middle High German noun.^(Köbler MHD)

+ * 1483 – A German Bible has ''in dem mittel der wasser'' (“in the midst of the waters”, Genesis 1:6).^(DWB|12, 2381)

+ * 17th century – The plural ''Mittel'' “funds”;^(Pfeifer 1993) ''mittels'' and ''bemittelt''.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 18th century – ''Mittel'' ceases to be used for ''Mitte''.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 19th century – ''mittellos''.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|means]]; something that serves to reach an aim.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A [[m|en|remedy]], medicine.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A substance used for a particular purpose, an [[m|en|agent]]: ''ein Mittel gegen Rost''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(plural)'' Funds, money, capital.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An [[m|en|average]], mean value.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(printing, dated)'' A type size of 14 points.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[vermitteln]]

+ * [[bemittelt]]

+ * [[mittellos]]

+ * [[mittels]]

+ * [[Hilfsmittel]]

+ * [[Lebensmittel]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Mitte]]

+ * [[mittel]]

+ * [[en|middle]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Mittel zum Zweck sein'' is to be used by someone for his or her own ends, ''Mittel und Wege finden'' to find ways and means, and ''sich ins Mittel legen'' (formal, dated) to intervene on someone's behalf.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}