darstellen German · revision 35665

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=second half of the 14th century, Styrian land law}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈdaːʁˌʃtɛlən/, [ˈdaːɐ̯ˌʃtɛln]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''darstellen''' (third-person singular present stellt dar, past tense stellte dar, past participle dargestellt, auxiliary haben)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|de|dar-|stellen]], with the particle meaning “there, forth”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary)^(Wiktionary DE) It properly meant “to set something up (for a purpose)”, then also “to name someone for a task” and “to produce”.^(Kluge 2011|181)^(Pfeifer 1993) The later uses, especially in the agent noun [[Darsteller]] and the abstract noun [[Darstellung]], refer more to the artistic rendering and shaping of an event, above all in the theatre.^(Kluge 2011|181)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The earliest quotations in DWB2 are legal and concrete: in the Styrian land law (second half of the 14th century) a defendant produces his witness, and in 1439 the ''Reformation'' of Emperor Sigismund speaks of putting up a figure of St Francis in a church.^(DWB2|6, 328) Pfeifer gives the first senses as “to put someone forward for a task, nominate” and “to set something down” (14th–15th century).^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The concrete sense “to put something before someone, set up” lasted into the 18th century: Luther's Bible has ''den Leuchter darstellen'' “set up the lampstand” (Exodus 40:4), and Pestalozzi and Wieland still use the verb of setting down a jug or fish.^(Paul 2002)^(DWB|2, 791) In legal language one could ''Zeugen darstellen'' “produce witnesses”, as Maaler records.^(DWB|2, 791)^(DWB2|6, 328) The sense “to produce, make” appears in the 16th century.^(Pfeifer 1993) Since about 1800 it has been restricted to chemistry and physics, where one still prepares a substance.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DWB2|6, 328)

+

+ The sense that dominates today, to shape or render something in words or in art, is common from the 16th century according to Pfeifer, from the 17th according to Paul.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002) It was used of painters and of actors, and Klopstock's epigram ''Beschreibung und Darstellung'' (1771) set the word against mere description;^(Paul 2002) Wilhelm von Humboldt wrote of ''die darstellende Kunst'' in 1799.^(Paul 2002) [[Darsteller]] “actor” dates from the end of the 18th century, and also meant “author”; [[Darstellung]] meant “provision, handing over” from the 16th to the 18th century and “shaping, performance” from the 17th.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Second half of the 14th century – The Styrian land law uses ''darstellen'' of producing a witness.^(DWB2|6, 328)

+ * 1439 – The ''Reformation'' of Emperor Sigismund uses it of putting up a figure of a saint.^(DWB2|6, 328)

+ * 1490 – ''Zeugen dar stellen'' glosses Latin ''producere testes''.^(DWB2|6, 328)

+ * 16th century – The senses “to produce” and “to render, shape” appear.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1771 – Klopstock's epigram ''Beschreibung und Darstellung''.^(Paul 2002)

+ * End of the 18th century – ''Darsteller'' “actor” is first recorded.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1799 – Wilhelm von Humboldt writes of ''die darstellende Kunst''.^(Paul 2002)

+ * About 1800 – The sense “to produce” becomes restricted to chemistry and physics.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|depict]], to represent in a picture, a model or a diagram: ''Das Gemälde stellt einen Fischmarkt dar.'';^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) ''die darstellende Geometrie'', [[m|en|descriptive geometry]].^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To play a role on the stage, to [[m|en|portray]]: ''Er stellte den Faust dar.'';^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) ''die darstellende Kunst'', the performing arts;^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) ''etwas darstellen'' “to look impressive”, ''nichts darstellen'' “to make no impression”.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To [[m|en|describe]], to set out in words: ''Sie hat den Ablauf genau dargestellt.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To [[m|en|constitute]], to be: ''Der Umzug stellt für die Familie eine große Belastung dar.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(reflexive)'' To present oneself as something, to appear in a certain way.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # ''(chemistry)'' To prepare a substance.^(Wiktionary DE)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Darsteller]]

+ * [[Darstellung]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[stellen]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}