nämlich German · revision 35535

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=9th century, Old High German glosses|origins=goh namo}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈnɛːmlɪç/, /ˈneːmlɪç/^(Wiktionary)

+ * Colloquial: /ˈnɛm(l)ɪç/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''nämlich''' (no predicative form, strong nominative masculine singular nämlicher, not comparable)^(Wiktionary)

+ Older spellings are ''nemlich'', and, by association with ''nehmen'', ''nähmlich'' and ''nehmlich'';^(DWB|13, 345) Swabian and Alemannic usually have ''namlich'' without umlaut.^(DWB|13, 345)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|nemelīche]], also [[m|gmh|namelīche]], the adverb of [[m|gmh|namelich|t=named, known, explicit]],^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(DWB|13, 345) [[inh|goh|namalīh|t=important, known]], formed [[af|goh|namo|-līh]].^(Köbler AHD)^(Pfeifer 1993) The parts are [[Name]] and [[-lich]].^(Wiktionary) Kluge treats it as the same word as [[namentlich]], with umlaut after the suffix syllable was shortened; the other form took a secondary ⟨t⟩ in the 15th century.^(Kluge 2011|648)^(Pfeifer 1993) The meaning is thus “expressly named”, which is why the word now introduces a closer specification.^(Kluge 2011|648)

+

+ [[goh|namo]] is the common Germanic word for “name”, the same as [[got|𐌽𐌰𐌼𐍉|tr=namō]] and [[en|name]], and related to [[la|nōmen]] and [[grc|ὄνομα|tr=ónoma]].^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The adverb ''namalīhho'' “by name” is recorded in Old High German glosses of the 9th century;^(Köbler AHD)^(Pfeifer 1993) Notker (about 1000) has the adjective ''namalīh'' “known, important”.^(Köbler AHD)^(Pfeifer 1993) Pfeifer also cites ''neminlīh'' from the 10th century.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Middle High German the adverb meant “expressly, by name; above all; truly; in the same way”.^(Duden 7 2007)^(DWB|13, 345) The adjective meant “named and specified”, as in a 1521 court order summoning someone ''auff einem nähmlichen tag'' “on a named day”, and “well known, notable”; both senses are now gone.^(DWB|13, 345)^(Pfeifer 1993) After ''der'' or ''dieser'' Central German used it for “the one just named”, from which came the adjective ''der nämliche'' “the very same”, first in Aler's dictionary;^(DWB|13, 345) Gottsched and Adelung objected to it.^(DWB|13, 345)

+

+ The Early New High German dictionary already shows the modern uses, “namely, that is to say” and “especially, above all”.^(FWB) The causal use, giving the reason for what was just said, is now the most frequent, and it often fades into a mere filler.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 9th century – Old High German ''namalīhho'' “by name” in glosses.^(Köbler AHD)

+ * 10th century – ''neminlīh''.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * c. 1000 – ''namalīh'' in Notker.^(Köbler AHD)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 13th century – Middle High German ''name(n)līche''.^(Kluge 2011|648)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ * 15th century – ''namentlich'' with ⟨t⟩ splits off.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1521 – ''auff einem nähmlichen tag'' in a court order.^(DWB|13, 345)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # Since, you see (giving a reason, placed after the verb): ''Ich komme heute nicht, ich bin nämlich krank.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|namely]], that is to say: ''zweimal im Monat, nämlich am ersten und am fünfzehnten''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)^(Wiktionary DE)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # ''(elevated, dated)'' The very same: ''im nämlichen Jahr''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Name]]

+ * [[namentlich]]

+ * [[namhaft]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ In speech the word is often reduced to /ˈnɛm(l)ɪç/.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}