retten German · revision 36063

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=863–871, Otfrid|origins=gmw-pro *hraddjan}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈʁɛtn̩/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''retten''' (third-person singular present rettet, past tense rettete, past participle gerettet, auxiliary haben)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|retten]], [[inh|goh|retten]] (also [[m|goh|hretten]]), [[inh|gmw-pro|*hraddjan|t=to save, rescue]].^(Kluge 2011|763)^(Wiktionary)^(EWA|7, 419) The verb is found only in West Germanic: [[osx|āhreddian|t=to rescue]], [[ofs|hredda]], [[ang|hreddan|t=to save, free, take away]] and [[dum|redden]], with English [[m|en|rid]] and [[m|en|redd]].^(Kluge 2011|763)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(EWA|7, 419)^(Wiktionary) From Middle Low German it passed into the North Germanic languages, as [[da|redde]], [[sv|rädda]] and [[is|redda]].^(EWA|7, 419)^(DWB|14, 825)

+

+ Its further origin is unclear.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden GWDS 1999) Kluge and Duden see in it a causative like [[sa|श्रथयति|tr=śratháyati|t=loosens, releases]] beside [[m|sa|श्रथ्नाति|tr=śrathnā́ti|t=becomes loose]], so that it first meant “to tear away, free”.^(Kluge 2011|763)^(Duden 7 2020|692)^(Wahrig Herkunftswörterbuch) Pfeifer mentions, with reservations, a connection with [[ine-pro|*kret-|t=to shake, move quickly]], as in [[lt|krėsti|alt=krė͂sti|t=to shake]] and [[goh|hrad|t=quick]], which would point to a first sense “push away from danger”.^(Pfeifer 1993) Wiktionary also derives it from [[gem-pro|*hradaz|t=fast]], with a first sense “to be quick”.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''retten'' is recorded in Otfrid's Gospel book (863–871) and in the Ludwigslied, meaning “to rescue, save, free”, and with a dative of the person “to hinder someone in something”.^(Köbler AHD)^(Schützeichel 2012|259) Otfrid writes of Christ that he ''ginâdlîcho unsih retita'', “graciously saved us”.^(DWB|14, 825) In glosses, ''irrettan'' renders Latin [[m|la|excutiō|alt=excutere]] “to shake off”, which the Grimms take as a trace of the concrete sense “to tear out of danger”.^(DWB|14, 825)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Middle High German ''retten'' also meant to put out a fire, and Early New High German still used it so.^(Lexer 1872)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(FWB) The preterite was often ''ratte'', without umlaut.^(DWB|14, 825) Until the 18th century one rescued someone ''von'' something; then ''vor'' and ''aus'' took over.^(Paul 2002) The cry ''rette sich, wer kann!'' “every man for himself” is old, and today mostly jocular.^(Paul 2002)^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ The noun [[Retter]], Middle High German ''rettære'', spread mainly through Luther and often refers to God;^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993) ''Rettung'' is Middle High German ''rettunge''.^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993) In ball games the verb now also means to prevent a goal at the last moment.^(EWA|7, 419)^(Wiktionary DE) Polish ''ratować'' (1529), Czech ''retovat'' and Slovak ''ratovať'' were borrowed from German.^(LWP)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 863–871 – Otfrid uses Old High German ''retten''.^(Köbler AHD)

+ * Middle High German – ''retten'' also means “to put out a fire”.^(Lexer 1872)

+ * 1529 – Polish ''ratować'' is first recorded, borrowed from German.^(LWP)

+ * 18th century – ''vor'' replaces ''von'' with the verb.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1861 – First record of ''Rettungsboot'' “lifeboat”.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1884 – First record of ''Rettungsring'' “lifebuoy”.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|save]], [[m|en|rescue]] someone or something from danger, death or loss: ''Ein Passant rettete den Jungen aus dem Fluss.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To bring into safety;^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE) ''(reflexive)'' to escape to a safe place: ''Die Wanderer retteten sich in eine Hütte.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # ''(sports)'' To prevent a goal or point by the opposing side at the last moment.^(Wiktionary DE)^(EWA|7, 419)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Retter]]

+ * [[Retterin]]

+ * [[Rettung]]

+ * [[erretten]]

+ * [[Rettungsboot]]

+ * [[Rettungswagen]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en|rid]]

+ * [[nl|redden]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Nicht mehr zu retten sein'' (colloquial) is to be quite mad, and ''sich vor etwas kaum retten können'' is to be overwhelmed by too much of something, such as calls or admirers.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}