Mensch German · revision 35871

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=3rd quarter of the 8th century, Old High German glosses|origins=gem-pro *manniskaz}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /mɛnʃ/, [mɛnʃ], [mɛnt͡ʃ]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Mensch''' ''m'' (genitive Menschen, plural Menschen, diminutive Menschchen n or Menschlein n, feminine Mensch or Menschin)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|mensche]], [[inh|goh|mennisco|alt=mennisco, mannisco]], a noun use of the adjective [[m|goh|mennisc|t=human]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*mannisk]], [[inh|gem-pro|*manniskaz|t=human]].^(Kluge 2011|616)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary) That adjective is derived from the word for “man” that is now [[Mann]], in its old sense “human being”, with the suffix [[gem-pro|*-iskaz]] that is now [[-isch]].^(Kluge 2011|616)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Orel 2003)^(Wiktionary) It is found in [[got|𐌼𐌰𐌽𐌽𐌹𐍃𐌺𐍃|tr=mannisks]], [[non|mennskr]], [[ang|mennisc]] and [[osx|mennisk]].^(Kluge 2011|616)^(Orel 2003) [[sa|मनुष्य|tr=manuṣyà|t=human]] is formed in the same way.^(Kluge 2011|616)

+

+ Only German, Dutch and Frisian made a noun of the adjective: [[m|osx|mennisko]], [[ofs|manniska]] and [[nl|mens]].^(Kluge 2011|616)^(Duden 7 2020|548)^(DWB|12, 2021) [[da|menneske]] is a borrowing from German.^(DWB|12, 2021)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''mennisco'', older ''mannisco'', is recorded from the third quarter of the 8th century in glosses, and then in Otfrid, Notker and Williram, meaning “human being, person”.^(Köbler AHD)^(Schützeichel 2012|220)^(AWB) The Old Saxon ''Heliand'' has the plural in the phrase ''menniskono barn'' “children of men”.^(DWB|12, 2021)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Old High German the word was only masculine.^(DWB|12, 2021) In Middle High German a neuter ''daʒ mensche'' appeared beside it, at first with the same general meaning.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DWB|12, 2033) From the 15th century it often meant a woman, especially a maidservant.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002) It formed the plural ''Menscher'' in the 17th century and has been used only disparagingly since the 18th.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)^(Kluge 2011|616) Regionally in the south it came to mean “girl” on the one hand and a contemptuous term for a woman on the other.^(Kluge 2011|616)

+

+ Luther's Bible gave many lasting phrases: ''der Mensch lebt nicht vom Brot allein'' and ''den alten Menschen ausziehen'', and the proverb ''der Mensch denkt, Gott lenkt'' goes back to Proverbs 16:9.^(Paul 2002) Compounds such as [[Menschenfeind]] (16th century) and [[Menschenfresser]] (17th century) are loan translations of Greek and Latin words;^(Pfeifer 1993) ''Menschenrechte'' “human rights” are recorded from 1777 and became a political watchword through the American and French declarations.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 3rd quarter of the 8th century – Old High German ''mennisco'' appears in glosses.^(Köbler AHD)

+ * 15th century – The neuter ''das Mensch'' is used for a woman or maidservant.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)

+ * 16th century – ''Menschenfeind'' is formed after Greek-Latin ''misanthropus''.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 17th century – The plural ''Menscher'' is recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1777 – ''Menschenrechte'' “human rights” is first recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 18th century – The neuter ''Mensch'' becomes disparaging.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|human being]], the living being able to think and speak, as opposed to animals: ''Mensch und Tier''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A human individual, a [[m|en|person]]: ''Sie ist auch nur ein Mensch.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A particular person with certain qualities: ''ein fröhlicher Mensch''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(neuter, regional, especially southern Germany and Austria, often derogatory)'' A woman, a girl.^(Wiktionary)^(Kluge 2011|616)

+

+ ===Interjection===

+ # ''(colloquial)'' Expressing surprise, admiration or annoyance: ''Mensch, ist das kalt!''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[menschlich]]

+ * [[Menschheit]]

+ * [[Menschlichkeit]]

+ * [[Menschentum]]

+ * [[Unmensch]]

+ * [[Übermensch]]

+ * [[Menschenfeind]]

+ * [[Menschenfresser]]

+ * [[menschenmöglich]]

+ * [[Menschenrecht]]

+ * [[entmenschen]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Mann]]

+ * [[en|man]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Kein Mensch mehr sein'' (colloquial) is to be completely worn out, and ''ein Mensch von Fleisch und Blut'' is a real, living person.^(Duden GWDS 1999) The neuter ''das Mensch'' has the plural ''Menscher'';^(Wiktionary)^(Pfeifer 1993) Wiktionary notes that the idea of its being a corruption of [[Mädchen]] is a folk etymology.^(Wiktionary)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}