Gesicht German · revision 35658

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=765, Old High German glosses|origins=gmw-pro *gasihti}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ɡəˈzɪçt/^(Wiktionary)

+ * Austria: /ɡeˈsɪçt/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Gesicht''' ''n'' (genitive Gesichtes or Gesichts, plural Gesichter, diminutive Gesichtchen n or Gesichtlein n or Gesichterl n)^(Wiktionary)

+ Until the 16th century the word was mostly feminine, as in Middle High German ''diu gesiht''.^(Paul 2002)^(DWB|5, 4087) The neuter is found in Central German from the 13th century and prevailed in the 16th.^(DWB|5, 4087)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ The older plural ''Gesichte'' is now used only for “visions”, while ''Gesichter'' “faces” is recorded from the 17th century.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DWB|5, 4087) Klopstock still wrote ''Gesichte'' for faces in the ''Messias''.^(DWB|5, 4087)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|gesiht]], [[inh|goh|gisiht]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*gasihti|t=sight]], a prefixed noun of action formed from [[sehen]], with [[ge-]] (compare [[Sicht]]).^(Kluge 2011|354)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(EWA|4, 392)^(Wiktionary) The same word is [[osx|gisiht]], [[gml|gesichte]], [[dum|gesicht]] (now [[nl|gezicht]]), [[odt|gesift]] and [[ang|gesihþ]], and it is cognate with [[yi|געזיכט|tr=gezikht]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(EWA|4, 392)^(Wiktionary) The original meaning was “the act of seeing, a look, a view”, and the sense “face” developed out of “sight”.^(Kluge 2011|354)^(Wahrig Herkunftswörterbuch) Duden explains it either from “the look” or from “the part of the head where the sense of sight is”.^(Duden 7 2014|335)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''gisiht'' is first recorded in glosses of 765, and then in the Tatian, Otfrid, Notker, Williram and the Benedictine Rule.^(Köbler AHD)^(Schützeichel 2012|280)^(EWA|4, 392) It meant seeing, looking, a sight or view, the eye, appearance and a vision;^(EWA|4, 392)^(Schützeichel 2012|280) ''in gisihti'' meant “in the sight of”.^(EWA|4, 392)^(Schützeichel 2012|280) The sense “face” is found only now and then in Old and Middle High German.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2014|335)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Middle High German ''gesiht'' meant sight, eyesight, the eyes, a vision or dream, and also the face and outward appearance.^(Köbler MHD)^(FWB) The sense “faculty of sight” lasted long: Luther wrote that Christ gave sight to many who were blind (''vielen Blinden gab er das Gesicht''), and the phrases ''zu Gesicht bekommen'' “to get to see” and ''aus dem Gesicht verlieren'' “to lose sight of” go back to it.^(Paul 2002)^(Duden GWDS 1999) From the late 15th century ''zu Gesicht stehen'' meant “to suit”, recorded in 1485.^(Paul 2002) As the usual word for the face, ''Gesicht'' pushed the older [[Antlitz]] into elevated language.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ Many phrases describe the face as a mirror of feelings: ''ein Gesicht wie Milch und Blut'' (1711), ''ein Gesicht wie sieben Tage Regenwetter'' “a face as gloomy as a week of rain” (1720), ''ein langes Gesicht machen'' “to look disappointed”, used by Kant, and ''Gesichter schneiden'' “to pull faces” (18th century).^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993) ''Das zweite Gesicht'', the gift of seeing the future, imitates English ''second sight''.^(Duden 7 2014)^(Wahrig Herkunftswörterbuch) ''Das Gesicht verlieren'' and ''das Gesicht wahren'' are loan translations of English ''to lose face'' and ''to save one's face'', an expression of East Asian origin.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Paul 2002) Dürer coined [[Gesichtspunkt]] in the 16th century as a term of perspective drawing for medieval Latin ''punctum visus'', and Leibniz used it figuratively under the influence of French ''point de vue''.^(Pfeifer 1993) The coarse Czech ''ksicht'' “mug” and Slovak ''ksicht'' are borrowed from the German word.^(LWP)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 765 – Old High German ''gisiht'' appears in glosses.^(Köbler AHD)

+ * 13th century – The neuter gender appears in Central German.^(DWB|5, 4087)

+ * 1485 – ''zu Gesicht stehen'' “to suit” is recorded.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 16th century – The neuter prevails;^(Pfeifer 1993) Dürer coins ''Gesichtspunkt''.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 17th century – The plural ''Gesichter'' “faces” is recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1711 – ''ein Gesicht wie Milch und Blut''.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 18th century – ''ein langes Gesicht machen'' and ''Gesichter schneiden'' are current.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[m|en|face]], the front of the head with the eyes, nose and mouth; also of animals: ''Das Kind hatte ein rundes, sommersprossiges Gesicht.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A person, as known or unknown: ''Auf der Feier sah ich viele neue Gesichter.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A facial [[m|en|expression]], a look: ''ein enttäuschtes Gesicht machen'';^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) ''ein langes Gesicht machen'', to look disappointed;^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) ''Gesichter schneiden'', to pull faces.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The characteristic [[m|en|appearance]] or character of something: ''Der neue Bahnhof hat dem Viertel ein anderes Gesicht gegeben.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(figurative)'' Honour, [[m|en|reputation]]: ''das Gesicht wahren'', ''das Gesicht verlieren''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(dated)'' Eyesight, the sense of sight;^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) ''das zweite Gesicht'', [[m|en|second sight]];^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) ''zu Gesicht bekommen'', to get to see.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(elevated, plural Gesichte)'' A [[m|en|vision]], an apparition.^(Wiktionary)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Gesichtsausdruck]]

+ * [[Gesichtszug]]

+ * [[Gesichtsfeld]]

+ * [[Gesichtspunkt]]

+ * [[gesichtslos]]

+ * [[Backpfeifengesicht]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Angesicht]]

+ * [[sehen]]

+ * [[Sicht]]

+ * [[Antlitz]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Jemandem wie aus dem Gesicht geschnitten sein'' is to look exactly like someone, ''sein wahres Gesicht zeigen'' to show one's true character, and ''jemandem etwas ins Gesicht sagen'' to tell someone something unpleasant to their face.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}