nein German · revision 35607

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 830, Tatian}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /naɪ̯n/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''nein'''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|nein]], [[inh|goh|nein]], contracted from the negative particle [[m|goh|ni|t=not]] and the neuter of [[ein]], so that it meant “not one”.^(Kluge 2011|652)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(EWA|6, 868)^(Paul 2002) The same formation is [[osx|nēn]], [[gml|nēn]] and [[dum|neen]], continued in [[nl|nee]].^(EWA|6, 868)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Kluge 2011|652) The EWA explains these as a fusion of [[gem-pro|*ne|t=not]] with the adverbial accusative of [[gem-pro|*ainaz|t=one]].^(EWA|6, 868) In the other Germanic languages the combination stayed a fully inflected pronoun meaning “no, none”: [[non|neinn]], [[ang|nān]] (whence [[en|none]]) and [[ofs|nān]].^(Kluge 2011|652)^(EWA|6, 868)^(Orel 2003)

+

+ The Gothic word for “no” was [[m|got|𐌽𐌴|tr=nē]], a lengthened form of the negative particle.^(Kluge 2011|652)^(Pfeifer 1993) [[non|nei]] and [[ang|nā]] probably go back to [[m|gem-pro|*ne aiwin|t=not ever]], whose second part is in [[je]].^(Kluge 2011|652)

+

+ The negative particle continues [[ine-pro|*ne|t=not]], also found in [[sa|न|tr=ná]], in the prefix [[la|ne-]] of [[m|la|nesciō|t=not to know]], and in [[cu|не|tr=ne]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Orel 2003) It is also contained in [[nicht]], [[nie]] and [[un-]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2014|588) The Latin [[m|la|nōn]], from Old Latin [[m|la|noenum]], was built in the same way from “not” and “one”.^(Kluge 2011|652)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DWB|13, 586) Kaspar Stieler and Frisch had already seen that the German word is contracted from “not one”.^(DWB|13, 586)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''nein'' is recorded from the 9th century, in the glosses, the Tatian (about 830) and Notker, meaning “no, not, not at all”.^(EWA|6, 868)^(Köbler AHD)^(Schützeichel 2012|235) The Tatian uses it as an answer to a question: ''bist thû uuîʒago? inti her antligôta nein'' “art thou a prophet? and he answered, no” (John 1:21).^(DWB|13, 586)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old and Middle High German, and sometimes Early New High German, repeated the subject of the question after the word with a pronoun, as in Geiler von Kaysersberg's ''wiltu nicht anders? nain ich'' “won't you have it otherwise? no, not I”.^(Paul 2002)^(Lexer 1872) Middle High German already used it as a noun: Walther von der Vogelweide and other poets speak of ''ein nein'' beside ''ein jâ''.^(Lexer 1872) The word also stands for a whole negated clause after verbs of hoping or fearing, as in Schiller's ''Ich hoffe nein'' “I hope not”.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ Besides refusing and contradicting, ''nein'' came to express astonishment, and to strengthen what follows (“no, even”).^(Duden 7 2014|588)^(Paul 2002)^(Duden GWDS 1999) The dialects have many forms: Silesian ''nei'', Swabian and Alemannic ''nai'', Bavarian and Austrian ''nā'', ''noa'', Swiss ''na'', and Central and Low German ''nê'', ''nee''.^(DWB|13, 586) Colloquial ''nee'', probably from northern German, has also been written in literature since the 16th century.^(Pfeifer 1993) The verb [[verneinen]] goes back to Old High German ''firneinen'' (11th century), and ''Verneinung'' dates from about 1700.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 830 – The Old High German Tatian uses ''nein'' as an answer.^(DWB|13, 586)^(Köbler AHD)

+ * 11th century – First record of Old High German ''firneinen'' “to deny”.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1482 – The ''Vocabularius teutonico-latinus'' spells it ''neyn''.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 16th century – Colloquial ''nee'' appears in writing.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1691 – Kaspar Stieler explains the word as a contraction of ''ni ein''.^(Paul 2002)^(DWB|13, 586)

+ * c. 1700 – First record of ''Verneinung'' “negation”.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Particle===

+ # [[m|en|no|alt=No]]: gives a negative answer to a question: „Hast du Hunger?“ – „Nein.“ ''Nein, danke.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Strengthens a refusal, often doubled or with other particles: ''nein, nein!'', ''aber nein!'', ''o nein!''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(stressed, after a negative sentence)'' Asks for agreement, “isn't it?”: ''Du bist doch nicht böse, nein?''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(unstressed)'' Introduces an exclamation of [[m|en|surprise]] or delight: ''Nein, wie schön, dass ihr da seid!''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Duden 7 2014|588)

+ # ''(unstressed)'' Adds something stronger: “no, even, indeed”: ''Dutzende, nein Hunderte von Briefen''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # Introduces a clause that denies what was said before and strengthens the denial: ''Nein, das glaube ich nicht.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Paul 2002)

+ # ''(colloquial, standing alone)'' Expresses disbelief: „Sie hat gekündigt.“ – „Nein!“^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[verneinen]]

+ * [[Verneinung]]

+ * [[Nein]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[nicht]]

+ * [[nie]]

+ * [[un-]]

+ * [[ein]]

+ * [[en|no]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ As a noun, das [[Nein]] (plural ''Nein'' or ''Neins'') is a negative answer or refusal; the proverb ''Ein Nein zur rechten Zeit erspart viel Widerwärtigkeit'' praises saying no at the right moment.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) ''Nein sagen'' (also ''nein sagen'') is to refuse, and someone who ''nicht Nein sagen kann'' is too good-natured to refuse.^(Duden GWDS 1999) In Early New High German ''nein'' was also a shortened form of [[hinein]] “in, into”, as in Hans Sachs: ''und fuhr mit in die schüssel nein''.^(DWB|13, 586)^(FWB)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}