bestimmen German · revision 35550

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 1173, Anegenge|origins=gem-pro *stebnō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /bəˈʃtɪmən/, [bəˈʃtɪmn̩]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''bestimmen''' (third-person singular present bestimmt, past tense bestimmte, past participle bestimmt, auxiliary haben)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|bestimmen|t=to name; to fix]], formed [[af|de|be-|stimmen]] in the old sense of that verb, “to name, to fix”.^(Kluge 2011|115)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary)^(Köbler MHD) It first meant “to choose or fix by one's voice”, and soon also “to order”.^(Kluge 2011|115)^(Duden 7 2020|144) Kluge dates it to the 15th century and Pfeifer to Early New High German, while Köbler finds it in the Anegenge (about 1173) and the Grimms' dictionary says it is still lacking in Old and Middle High German.^(Kluge 2011|115)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Köbler MHD)^(DWB|1, 1678)

+

+ The base [[m|gmh|stimmen|t=to call out; to name, fix, appraise]] comes from [[Stimme]], [[goh|stimma]], [[gem-pro|*stebnō|t=voice]], the same word as [[got|𐍃𐍄𐌹𐌱𐌽𐌰|tr=stibna]] and [[ang|stefn]].^(Lexer 1872|2, 1199)^(Kluge 2011|886) Kluge thinks it most likely an extension of a word for “mouth”, as in [[grc|στόμα|tr=stóma|t=mouth]] and [[ae|staman-|t=mouth]], though the sound changes are not clear in detail.^(Kluge 2011|886)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Middle High German ''bestimmen'' is recorded from the Anegenge (about 1173), meaning “to name, to determine”.^(Köbler MHD) The simple ''stimmen'' meant “to name” and “to fix (a price, a time)”: ''ein zît gestimmet was'' (“a time had been fixed”), says the Elisabeth.^(Lexer 1872|2, 1199)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Luther's Bible the verb is frequent for fixing a time or a place, as in Exodus 9:5, ''und der Herr bestimmt eine Zeit''.^(Paul 2002)^(DWB|1, 1678) It also came to mean “to intend for”, especially in the past participle of fate: ''ihr vater hat uns für einander bestimmt'' (Leisewitz).^(Paul 2002) In the scientific language of the 18th century, from Christian Wolff on, it took the sense “to define precisely”, and also “to classify by features”, as of a plant.^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Kluge 2011|115) Kant used it for determining a concept.^(DWB|1, 1678)

+

+ Adelung (1793) complains that in philosophical writing the verb and the noun [[Bestimmung]] were often used as mere padding.^(Adelung 1793|1, 931) The participle [[bestimmt]] became an adverb “certainly” around 1800, a fashionable word of the time.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002) ''Bestimmung'' (17th century) rendered Latin ''determinatio'' in philosophy from the late 18th century and has meant “legal regulation” since the early 19th.^(Paul 2002)^(Duden 7 2020|144)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * About 1173 – Middle High German ''bestimmen'' appears in the Anegenge.^(Köbler MHD)

+ * 15th century – Kluge's date for the verb “to fix by one's voice”.^(Kluge 2011|115)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 16th century – Luther often uses it for fixing a time or place.^(DWB|1, 1678)

+ * 17th century – First record of ''Bestimmung''.^(Duden 7 2020|144)^(Paul 2002)

+ * 18th century – The sense “to define” develops in philosophy.^(Kluge 2011|115)^(Duden 7 2020|144)

+ * Around 1800 – ''bestimmt'' comes into fashion as an adverb “certainly”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)

+ * Early 19th century – ''Bestimmung'' is used for a legal regulation.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To fix, to [[m|en|set]] (a time, a price, a place): ''Wir müssen noch den Termin bestimmen.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To [[m|en|decide]], to have the say: ''In dieser Familie bestimmt die Großmutter.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # To [[m|en|intend]] for, to destine: ''Das Paket ist für deinen Bruder bestimmt.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # To [[m|en|determine]] or establish scientifically; to define; to identify the species of: ''das Alter eines Knochens bestimmen''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To dispose of: ''über sein Geld selbst bestimmen''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # To shape, to influence decisively: ''Die Landschaft bestimmt das Leben der Bauern.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # ''(reflexive)'' To be determined by: ''Der Preis bestimmt sich nach der Nachfrage.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # To induce, to move someone to do something: ''jemanden zur Umkehr bestimmen''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Bestimmung]]

+ * [[bestimmt]]

+ * [[Bestimmtheit]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[stimmen]]

+ * [[Stimme]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}