Gewalt German · revision 36117

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ɡəˈvalt/, [ɡəˈvalt], [-ˈʋalt]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Southern, also: [ɡ̊e-]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Gewalt''' ''f'' (genitive Gewalt, plural Gewalten)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|gewalt]], [[inh|goh|giwalt]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*gawald]], [[inh|gem-pro|*gawaldą]].^(Wiktionary)^(Kluge 2011|356)^(Pfeifer 1993) Like [[ofs|wald]], it is an abstract noun formed to the verb [[walten]] “to rule, have power over”, and in the oldest period it meant above all “power, rule, authority”.^(Kluge 2011|356)^(Pfeifer 1993) The same word is [[osx|giwald]], [[gml|gewelde]], [[nl|geweld]] and [[ang|geweald]], while [[non|vald]] and [[sv|våld]] have no prefix; in Old Norse and Old English it is a neuter.^(Kluge 2011|356)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|323)

+

+ The verb goes back to [[gem-pro|*waldaną|t=to rule]], also in [[got|𐍅𐌰𐌻𐌳𐌰𐌽|tr=waldan]], [[non|valda]] and [[ang|wealdan]], the source of [[en|wield]].^(Kluge 2011|970)^(Kroonen 2013) Kluge takes it as a present with a dental suffix from a root meaning “to be strong, rule”, also found without the suffix in [[la|valeō|t=to be strong]] and [[txb|walo|t=king]];^(Kluge 2011|970) Kroonen sets up [[ine-pro|*h₂welh₁-]] and compares [[sga|flaith|t=sovereignty, ruler]] and [[lt|valdýti|t=to rule]], noting that the Baltic and Slavic verbs may also be loans from Germanic.^(Kroonen 2013)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''giwalt'' is first recorded in glosses of the last quarter of the 8th century, and then in Isidor, Tatian, Otfrid, Notker, the ''Ludwigslied'' and the ''Petruslied''.^(Köbler AHD)^(Schützeichel 2012|369) Its senses were “power over”, “rule, dominion”, “the authority of the state”, “a realm” and “freedom to act”;^(Schützeichel 2012|369)^(Köbler AHD) ''ze gewalte lāzen'' meant “to hand over”.^(Schützeichel 2012|369)^(Köbler AHD)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The ZDL word history stresses how stable the core senses “rule, power, authority, strength, force” have been; older senses such as “standing, prestige” and “full powers” have faded.^(WGd) In early times the word was mostly positive, while today the negative sense of brutal force prevails, as compounds such as [[Gewalttat]] and [[Gewaltverbrechen]] show; the legitimate power of the state survives in [[Staatsgewalt]] and [[Gewaltenteilung]] “separation of powers”.^(WGd) Adelung (1793) already gives both: superior power in general, and in a figurative sense the unlawful use of it, violence.^(Adelung 1793|2, 651)

+

+ Derivatives followed the noun: [[gewaltig]] “mighty” (Old High German ''giwaltīg'', about 800), [[bewältigen]] (14th century, at first “to bring into one's power”), [[gewaltsam]] (15th century), [[Gewalthaber]] (15th century) and [[gewalttätig]] (17th century).^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|323) The word was borrowed into Polish as ''gwałt'' (1392, “force, strength”), and Polish passed it on to the East Slavic languages;^(LWP)^(Wiktionary) Yiddish ''gevald'' became a cry of “help!”, which Hebrew took over.^(LWP)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

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

+ * about 800 – The adjective ''giwaltīg'' “mighty” is recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1392 – Polish ''gwałt'' “force, strength”, borrowed from German, is first recorded.^(LWP)

+ * 14th century – ''bewältigen'' “to get into one's power” appears.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 15th century – ''gewaltsam'' and ''Gewalthaber'' are formed.^(Duden 7 2020|323)

+ * 1509 – The earliest quotation of the ZDL word history, from the prose novel ''Fortunatus''.^(WGd)

+ * 17th century – ''gewalttätig'' is formed from ''Gewalttat''.^(Duden 7 2020|323)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|power]], [[m|en|authority]]: the right and the means to decide about or rule over someone or something, as in ''die elterliche Gewalt'' “parental authority” and the ''Gewaltenteilung'' of the state;^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) ''sich in der Gewalt haben'' is to keep control of oneself.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Unlawful [[m|en|coercion]]: action by which someone is forced to do something;^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) ''mit aller Gewalt'' means “at all costs”.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Physical [[m|en|force]], [[m|en|violence]], used ruthlessly against people or things: ''Die Demonstranten wurden mit Gewalt vom Platz gedrängt.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # ''(elevated)'' Elemental force with an overwhelming effect: ''die Gewalt der Lawine'';^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE) ''höhere Gewalt'' is [[m|en|force majeure]].^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[gewaltig]]

+ * [[gewaltsam]]

+ * [[gewalttätig]]

+ * [[Gewalttat]]

+ * [[Gewalthaber]]

+ * [[Gewaltherrschaft]]

+ * [[Gewaltherrscher]]

+ * [[Gewaltakt]]

+ * [[Gewaltenteilung]]

+ * [[Gewaltmonopol]]

+ * [[Gewaltverbrechen]]

+ * [[Staatsgewalt]]

+ * [[bewältigen]]

+ * [[überwältigen]]

+ * [[vergewaltigen]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[walten]]

+ * [[verwalten]]

+ * [[Anwalt]]

+ * [[en|wield]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ In Old and Middle High German the word was masculine or feminine; the standard language now has only the feminine, but Paul still quotes a masculine from Pestalozzi.^(Paul 2002)^(DWB|6, 4910) The plural ''Gewalten'' is used of powers, as in Goethe's “Mächten und Gewalten”.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}