interessieren German · revision 36132

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation, borrowing|attested=1590|origins=la intersum}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˌɪn.tə.ʁɛˈsiː.ʁən/, /ˌɪn.tʁəˈsiː.ɐn/^(Wiktionary)

+ * Often: /ˌɪn.tʁəˈsiːɐ̯n/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''interessieren''' (third-person singular present interessiert, past tense interessierte, past participle interessiert, auxiliary haben)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fr|intéresser|t=to interest]] according to the Duden dictionary and the German-language Wiktionary,^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE) while Pfeifer, Duden's etymological dictionary and the Early New High German dictionary also derive it from the noun, as [[af|de|Interesse|-ieren]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2007)^(FWB)

+

+ The noun [[Interesse]] was borrowed in the 15th century from [[la-med|intersum|alt=interesse]], a legal term for the damage owed by someone liable to make good a loss; it is the infinitive of [[la|intersum|t=to be between; to take part; to matter]], from [[m|la|inter|t=between]] and [[m|la|sum|t=to be]], used as a noun.^(Kluge 2011|448)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002) Its later sense “attention, concern” followed [[fr|intérêt]], which kept the Latin legal meaning.^(Kluge 2011|448)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Paul dates the verb to 1590, after the Early New High German dictionary; it first meant to arouse someone's concern for their own advantage.^(Paul 2002)^(FWB) The participle ''interessiert'' is older: Pfeifer finds it in the 16th century and Duden at the end of that century, meaning “intent on one's own advantage, self-seeking”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2007)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 17th century the verb came to mean to arouse attention or sympathy.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2007) The self-seeking sense of the participle lasted into the 18th century: in Lessing a character asks whether she is taken for ''so ein interessiert Mädchen'', “such a mercenary girl”.^(DWB|10, 2148) The reflexive ''sich interessieren für'' was formed in the 18th century after French ''s'intéresser''.^(Paul 2002)^(Duden 7 2007) From the 18th century ''interessiert'' also meant attentive and full of sympathy, the sense it has today;^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002) Kant's ''uninteressiert'' “disinterested” describes the pleasure taken in beauty.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 15th century – ''Interesse'' is borrowed from Medieval Latin as a legal term.^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 16th century – The participle ''interessiert'' “self-seeking” appears.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1590 – First record of the verb.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 17th century – The sense “to arouse attention, sympathy”.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 18th century – The reflexive ''sich interessieren'' is formed after French.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''sich interessieren für'': to be [[m|en|interested]] in someone or something, to show interest: ''Meine Schwester interessiert sich für alte Uhren.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''sich interessieren für'': to want to know about something: ''Er interessierte sich für die Öffnungszeiten.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''sich interessieren für'': to want to have or buy something.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # To [[m|en|interest]] someone, to hold their attention: ''Der Film interessierte ihn kaum.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # To try to win someone over to something: ''jemanden für ein Vorhaben interessieren''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[interessiert]]

+ * [[uninteressiert]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Interesse]]

+ * [[interessant]]

+ * [[Interessent]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}