stellen German · revision 35563

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=inherited|attested=8th century, Abrogans|origins=gem-pro *stallaz}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈʃtɛlən/, [ˈʃtɛ.l̩n], [-lən]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''stellen''' (third-person singular present stellt, past tense stellte, past participle gestellt, auxiliary haben)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old High German had the preterite ''stalta'' and Middle High German ''stalte'', without umlaut; the participle ''gestalt'' survives in [[Gestalt]] and [[Anstalt]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DWB|18, 2195)

+ Luther already inflected ''stellte'', ''gestellt'', and the forms with ''a'' became rare in the written language in the 17th century, though the participle ''gestalt'' lasted into the 18th.^(DWB|18, 2195)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|stellen]], [[inh|goh|stellen]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*stalljan|t=to put, place]].^(Kluge 2011|881)^(Wiktionary)^(EWA|8, 1038) The same verb is [[osx|stellian]], [[gml|stellen]], [[ofs|stella]] and [[ang|stellan]], and today [[nl|stellen]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(EWA|8, 1038) [[non|stilla]] and [[sv|ställa]] stand further off, since they presuppose another ablaut grade.^(DWB|18, 2195)

+

+ Kluge, Pfeifer, the EWA and Duden explain it as a verb formed from the noun that became [[Stall]], in its old sense “standing place”, so that it first meant “to bring to a standing place, set up”.^(Kluge 2011|881)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(EWA|8, 1038)^(Duden 7 2020|819) That noun is [[gem-pro|*stallaz]], which Kroonen takes as an instrument noun of [[ine-pro|*steh₂-|t=to stand]], the root of [[stehen]], formally identical with [[la|stabulum|t=stable]].^(Kroonen 2013) Kluge and Riecke, quoted in the EWA, allow as an alternative a causative of a root [[ine-pro|*stel-|t=to place]], which is otherwise unattested in Germanic; the EWA notes that this works only if the noun also belongs to that root.^(Kluge 2011|881)^(EWA|8, 1038) Duden takes this root as an extension of the root meaning “to stand” and compares [[grc|στέλλω|tr=stéllō|t=to set up, equip, send]] and [[m|la|locus|t=place]], older [[itc-ola|stlocus]].^(Duden 7 2020|819)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''stellen'' is recorded from the 8th century, first in the Abrogans glossary and other glosses, then in Psalm 138 and in Notker, meaning “to set up, erect, place, arrange, settle”.^(Kluge 2011|881)^(EWA|8, 1038)^(Schützeichel 2012|313)^(Köbler AHD)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Duden notes that the verb came to be used as the causative of [[stehen]] in general, “to make stand, direct, fix”.^(Duden 7 2020|819) The reflexive ''sich stellen'' expresses entering the position, where older German could also use ''stehen''.^(Paul 2002) In hunting, dogs ''stellen'' the game when they bring it to bay, and the game ''stellt sich'' when it turns to fight; from this comes the common sense “to corner, intercept”, as of the police.^(Paul 2002)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Paul also lists the uses “to provide, furnish” (recruits, witnesses, guarantors) and reflexive “to give oneself up” or “to face” a test or an interview.^(Paul 2002) With abstract nouns ''stellen'' forms many fixed combinations: ''eine Frage stellen'', ''einen Antrag stellen'', ''in Frage stellen'', ''in Rechnung stellen'', ''zur Rede stellen''.^(Paul 2002)^(Wiktionary) The participle ''gestellt'' means “posed, unnatural” of a photograph or scene.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ The noun [[Stelle]] is a back-formation of the 16th century, replacing Middle High German ''stal'' “standing place”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|819) [[nachstellen]] “to lie in wait for” (16th century) first meant setting snares, and reflexive [[vorstellen]] “to imagine” is also from the 16th century.^(Pfeifer 1993) The verb was borrowed into Polish as ''stalować'' “to order” (1611) and into Czech as ''štelovat'' “to prepare, adjust”.^(LWP)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 8th century – Old High German ''stellen'' appears in the Abrogans glossary.^(Kluge 2011|881)^(EWA|8, 1038)

+ * 1150–1170 – Middle High German ''stellen'' appears in Lamprecht's ''Alexander''.^(Köbler MHD)

+ * 16th century – [[Stelle]] is formed from the verb; [[nachstellen]] and [[vorstellen]] “to imagine” appear.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1611 – Polish ''stalować'' “to order” is first recorded.^(LWP)

+ * 17th century – The preterite ''stalte'' becomes rare in the written language.^(DWB|18, 2195)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''(reflexive)'' To go to a place and stand there: ''sich ans Fenster stellen''; figuratively ''sich hinter jemanden stellen'' “to back someone”.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # To [[m|en|put]] or [[m|en|place]] someone or something upright somewhere: ''die Flasche in den Kühlschrank stellen''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To set or [[m|en|adjust]] a device: ''den Wecker auf sechs stellen''.^(Wiktionary)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # To provide, make available: ''einen Zeugen stellen''.^(Wiktionary)^(Paul 2002)

+ # To catch, corner or [[m|en|intercept]]: ''die Polizei stellte den Dieb''.^(Wiktionary)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # ''(reflexive)'' To give oneself up, or to face something: ''sich der Polizei stellen'', ''sich der Kritik stellen''.^(Wiktionary)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # With abstract nouns, forming fixed phrases: ''eine Frage stellen'' “to ask”, ''einen Antrag stellen'' “to apply”.^(Wiktionary)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # ''(reflexive)'' To [[m|en|feign]], pretend: ''sich schlafend stellen''.^(Wiktionary)^(Wiktionary DE)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Stelle]]

+ * [[Stellung]]

+ * [[abstellen]]

+ * [[anstellen]]

+ * [[ausstellen]]

+ * [[bestellen]]

+ * [[entstellen]]

+ * [[herstellen]]

+ * [[nachstellen]]

+ * [[verstellen]]

+ * [[vorstellen]]

+ * [[Gestell]]

+ * [[Stellvertreter]]

+ * [[Anstalt]]

+ * [[Gestalt]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Stall]]

+ * [[stehen]]

+ * [[still]]

+ * [[Stollen]]

+ * [[Stelze]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Auf sich selbst gestellt sein'' means “to have to manage on one's own”.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) ''Jemandem ein Bein stellen'' (“trip someone up”) and ''sein Licht unter den Scheffel stellen'' (“hide one's light under a bushel”) are fixed idioms.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}