toll German · revision 36122

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=9th century|origins=gem-pro *dulaz}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /tɔl/, [tʰɔl]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''toll''' (strong nominative masculine singular toller, comparative toller, superlative am tollsten)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|tol]], also [[m|gmh|dol]], [[inh|goh|tol|t=foolish]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*dol]], from [[gem-pro|*dulaz|t=dazed, foolish]].^(Kluge 2011|920)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary) The same word is [[osx|dol]], [[ang|dol]], [[ofs|dol]], [[nl|dol]] and [[en|dull]];^(Kluge 2011|920)^(Pfeifer 1993) Icelandic has [[m|is|dulinn|t=conceited]].^(Kluge 2011|920)^(Pfeifer 1993) A full grade of the root appears in [[got|𐌳𐍅𐌰𐌻𐍃|tr=dwals|t=foolish]] and [[gml|dwal]], and the adjectives belong with the strong verb [[gem-pro|*dwelaną|alt=*dwel-a-|t=to be confused]], seen in [[m|ang|dwolian|t=to go astray]] and [[m|goh|twelan|t=to tarry, fall asleep]].^(Kluge 2011|920)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ Words outside Germanic have been compared, such as [[sga|dall|t=blind]], [[lt|dulinė́ti|t=to loaf about]] and [[grc|θολερός|tr=tholerós|t=muddy, confused]], but Kluge thinks the comparison uncertain because they are ambiguous in form and do not match in meaning.^(Kluge 2011|920) Pfeifer and Duden take the basic sense to be “clouded, befuddled” and set up a root [[ine-pro|*dʰwel-|t=to stir up, make cloudy]], an extension of the root of [[Dunst]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|861)^(Wahrig Herkunftswörterbuch)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''tol'' “foolish, stupid” is recorded in the 9th century, in glosses and the Kassel Glosses.^(Kluge 2011|920)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Köbler AHD) In Middle High German it meant foolish and senseless, but also bold and, already, handsome or stately.^(Köbler MHD)^(Duden 7 2020|861)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The first modern sense is “mad, out of one's mind”: Luther's Bible has ''du tol vnd töricht Volck'' “you mad and foolish people”, and people became ''toll'' with anger or drunkenness, as in the pair ''toll und voll''.^(Paul 2002) Until the 19th century it was used for the insane, hence [[Tollhaus]] “madhouse” in 1678, and of animals “rabid”, as ''ein toller Hund'' in the 16th century, from which [[Tollwut]] “rabies” was formed in 1792 after ''tolle Wut'' in 1763.^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993) The deadly nightshade was called [[Tollkirsche]] from 1600, after the confusion its berries cause.^(Pfeifer 1993) It also meant wild and boisterous, as in Goethe's ''Und alles tanzte schon wie toll'' “and everyone was already dancing like mad”, and the verb [[tollen]] “to romp” is recorded in Luther in 1521.^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ In Early New High German it came to mean “astonishing”, and also “very”.^(Duden 7 2020|861) Adelung describes ''toll'' “strange, odd” as familiar speech;^(Paul 2002) Kramer has the approving ''ein toller Kerl'' “a terrific fellow”, and this praising use became the main one, today especially among young people.^(Paul 2002) In colloquial speech it has also faded into a mere intensifier “very (great), a lot”, for which the regional form [[doll]] is mostly used.^(Paul 2002)^(Duden 7 2020|861)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 9th century – Old High German ''tol'' “foolish” is recorded.^(Kluge 2011|920)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1521 – Luther uses the verb ''tollen''.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 16th century – ''ein toller Hund'' “a rabid dog”.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1600 – ''Tollkirsche'' “deadly nightshade”.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1678 – ''Tollhaus'' “madhouse”.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1780 – Adelung marks the sense “strange, odd” as familiar speech.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1792 – ''Tollwut'' “rabies”, after ''tolle Wut'' in 1763.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # ''(dated)'' [[m|en|mad]], insane; beside oneself: ''toll vor Wut''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # ''(dated)'' [[m|en|rabid]]: ''ein toller Fuchs''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # Unusual, hardly believable: ''Er hatte ein tolles Glück.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' [[m|en|great]], wonderful: ''Wir hatten tolles Wetter.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' Very great or strong.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' As an intensifier: very, a lot: ''Wir haben uns toll amüsiert.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Paul 2002)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' Bad, awful.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' Wild and [[m|en|boisterous]]: ''Die Kinder trieben es heute zu toll.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Tollheit]]

+ * [[Tollwut]]

+ * [[tollen]]

+ * [[Tollhaus]]

+ * [[Tollkirsche]]

+ * [[tollkühn]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[doll]]

+ * [[Dunst]]

+ * [[en|dull]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}