Künstler German · revision 35534

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=derivation|attested=16th century|origins=ine-pro *ǵneh₃-}}

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+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈkʏnstlɐ/^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==Forms==

+ '''Künstler''' ''m'' (genitive Künstlers, plural Künstler, feminine Künstlerin)^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==Etymology==

+ The word is formed [[af|de|Kunst|-ler|t1=art; originally knowledge, skill]], and is first recorded in the 16th century.^(DWB|11, 2706)^(Duden 7 2020)^(Wiktionary) The Grimms' dictionary finds it already so widespread then that it must be older, but for the 15th century can show only [[m|gmh|künstener]], [[m|gmh|künstner]] and [[m|gmh|künster]];^(DWB|11, 2706) Pfeifer likewise gives Middle High German forms without /l/.^(Pfeifer 1993) The forms with /n/ survive in [[nl|kunstenaar]], [[da|kunstner]] and [[sv|konstnär]].^(DWB|11, 2706)

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+ The source of the /l/ is disputed.^(Duden 7 2020)^(DWB|11, 2706) Kluge treats the word simply as the agent noun of [[Kunst]];^(Kluge 2011|549) the Duden dictionaries derive it from the verb [[künsteln]] (formerly “to improve a work”), later attached to the noun;^(Duden 7 2020)^(Duden GWDS 1999) the Grimms' dictionary thinks the verb had at most a share in replacing /n/ by /l/.^(DWB|11, 2706)

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+ That noun is [[gmh|kunst]], [[goh|kunst|t=knowledge, ability, skill]], an abstract noun with a transitional /s/ formed to [[können]],^(Kluge 2011|549)^(EWA) which goes back to [[ine-pro|*ǵneh₃-|t=to know]].^(Kluge 2011|524)^(Köbler AHD)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In the 16th century the word meant a scholar or expert, shading into an alchemist or magician, and also a craftsman or master builder.^(FWB)^(Pfeifer 1993) Aventinus calls the father of the empress Eudoxia ''eines künstlers und philosophi von Athen'' (“an Athenian scholar and philosopher”).^(DWB|11, 2706)

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+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense “scholar” matches ''Kunst'' in its old meaning of learning; the 15th-century vocabularies gloss ''künster'' as Latin ''artista'', the name of the members of the arts faculty.^(DWB|11, 2706) Compounds of the 18th century such as ''Meßkünstler'' “mathematician” and ''Scheidekünstler'' “chemist” continue this use.^(DWB|11, 2706) The sense “creator or performer of works of art” is from the 18th century,^(Pfeifer 1993) when ''Kunst'' itself narrowed to artistic activity.^(Kluge 2011|549) Adelung still defined a ''Künstler'' as anyone who practises an art, and in the narrower sense painters, architects or dancing masters, but not poets or orators.^(Adelung 1793) The adjective ''künstlerisch'' is also from the 18th century.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020)

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+ English borrowed ''Künstlerroman'', a novel about the development of an artist, in 1941.^(LWP)

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+ ==Timeline==

+ * 15th century – ''künster'', ''künstener'', ''künstner'' in the vocabularies.^(DWB|11, 2706)

+ * 16th century – ''Künstler'' is first recorded, meaning “scholar, expert”.^(DWB|11, 2706)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 18th century – Sense “creator of works of art”;^(Pfeifer 1993) ''künstlerisch''.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1793 – Adelung defines it as anyone who practises an art.^(Adelung 1793)

+ * 1941 – English borrows ''Künstlerroman''.^(LWP)

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+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An [[m|en|artist]]: someone who creates works of art or interprets them in performance;^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) ''bildende Künstler'' are painters, graphic artists and sculptors.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Someone with exceptional skill in a particular field, a master: ''Er ist ein Künstler im Verhandeln.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

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+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Künstlerin]]

+ * [[künstlerisch]]

+ * [[Tonkünstler]]

+ * [[Tausendkünstler]]

+ * [[Schwarzkünstler]]

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+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Kunst]]

+ * [[künsteln]]

+ * [[künstlich]]

+ * [[können]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}