richten German · revision 35650

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=8th century, Old High German glosses|origins=ine-pro *reǵ-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * [ˈʁɪçtn̩], [ˈʁɪçtən]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''richten''' (third-person singular present richtet, past tense richtete, past participle gerichtet, auxiliary haben)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old and Middle High German had the syncopated preterite ''rihta'', ''rihte'', still frequent in older New High German, as in Luther's ''und richten sich auff jre füsze'' (“and stood up on their feet”, Isaiah 37:10).^(DWB|14, 867)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|rihten]], [[inh|goh|rihten]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*rihtijan|t=to straighten, set right]], [[inh|gem-pro|*rihtijaną]], a factitive verb from the adjective [[recht]], so first “to make straight”.^(Kluge 2011|766)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary) The same verb is [[got|𐌲𐌰𐍂𐌰𐌹𐌷𐍄𐌾𐌰𐌽|tr=garaihtjan|t=to direct, make right]], [[non|rétta]], [[ang|rihtan]], [[ofs|riuchta]] and [[osx|rihtian]], continued in [[en|right|t=to right]], [[nl|richten]] and [[sv|räta]].^(Kluge 2011|766)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DWB|14, 867) The formation itself is not found outside Germanic.^(DWB|14, 867) The adjective goes back to [[ine-pro|*reǵ-|t=straight; to direct]].^(Köbler AHD)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''rihten'' is recorded from the end of the 8th century, in glosses and in Isidor, the Monsee fragments, the Tatian, the ''Hildebrandslied'', Otfrid and Notker.^(EWA|7, 468)^(Schützeichel 2012|260) Its senses already ranged from “to straighten, raise up” and “to direct, steer, rule” to “to correct, prepare” and “to judge, give justice”, glossing Latin ''dirigere'', ''erigere'', ''regere'', ''corrigere'' and ''iudicare''.^(EWA|7, 468)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The first sense lives on in crafts: Adelung describes comb-makers straightening crooked horns, and tools such as ''Richtscheit'' and ''Richtschnur'' “plumb line” take their names from it.^(Paul 2002)^(Adelung 1793|3, 1099) ''Richtschnur'' is recorded from the 15th century and is used figuratively for a guiding principle from the 16th.^(Duden 7 2014) From “to set upright” came the builders' use, a house being ''gerichtet'' when its frame stands, hence [[Richtfest]] “topping-out ceremony”.^(Paul 2002)^(Duden 7 2014) Aiming a missile, the eyes or a request at something, and adjusting oneself after something (''sich nach etwas richten''), grew out of the sense “to point in a direction”, and the noun [[Richtung]] appears in the second half of the 18th century.^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2014) The legal sense gave [[Richter]], Old High German ''rihtāri'' “leader, judge” from the 8th century.^(Pfeifer 1993) Polish borrowed the verb as ''rychtować'' “to prepare”, recorded in 1563.^(LWP)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Late 8th century – Old High German ''rihten'' is first recorded.^(EWA|7, 468)

+ * 8th century – The agent noun ''rihtāri'' “leader, judge” is recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 15th century – ''Richtschnur'' is recorded.^(Duden 7 2014)

+ * 16th century – ''Richtschnur'' is used figuratively for a principle.^(Duden 7 2014)

+ * 1563 – Polish ''rychtować'' “to prepare” is recorded.^(LWP)

+ * Second half of the 18th century – ''Richtung'' appears.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2014)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|direct]] or point something at someone or something: ''Sie richtete die Taschenlampe auf die Tür.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To [[m|en|address]] a request, question or letter to someone: ''eine Anfrage an das Ministerium richten''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(reflexive)'' Of things: to be directed at someone or something, and of criticism, to be aimed against someone.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(reflexive, with nach)'' To follow or conform to someone or something, and to [[m|en|depend]] on something: ''Der Preis richtet sich nach der Nachfrage.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To [[m|en|straighten]], to bring into line, to adjust correctly, or to set upright.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(chiefly southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland)'' To put in order, [[m|en|repair]], prepare or arrange: ''das Abendessen richten''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To [[m|en|judge]], to pass sentence on someone, and ''(elevated)'' to condemn harshly.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(elevated, dated)'' To [[m|en|execute]].^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Richter]]

+ * [[Richtfest]]

+ * [[Richtschnur]]

+ * [[Richtung]]

+ * [[Richtscheit]]

+ * [[anrichten]]

+ * [[aufrichten]]

+ * [[einrichten]]

+ * [[verrichten]]

+ * [[Anrichte]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Gericht]]

+ * [[Nachricht]]

+ * [[richtig]]

+ * [[recht]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}