umfassen German · revision 36140

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=15th century|origins=goh faʒʒōn}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ʔʊmˈfasn̩/, /ʔʊmˈfasən/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''umfassen''' (third-person singular present umfasst, past tense umfasste, past participle umfasst, auxiliary haben)^(Wiktionary)

+ In the separable sense “to grasp differently” the forms are ''fasst um'', ''fasste um'', ''umgefasst''.^(Wiktionary)^(Adelung 1793)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|de|um-|fassen]], the verb with the prefix meaning “around”.^(Wiktionary)^(Wiktionary DE)^(Pfeifer 1993) Middle High German already had [[m|gmh|umbevazzen|t=to embrace]], and [[gml|ummevaten]] is found in 1473.^(Köbler MHD)^(Lexer 1872|3, 35)^(DWB|23, 872) The base [[fassen]] is [[gmh|vazzen]], [[goh|faʒʒōn|t=to put into a vessel, load, clothe]], probably formed from the noun [[goh|faʒʒa|t=bundle, load]] and so related to [[Fass]].^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Pfeifer and Paul date ''umfassen'' to the 15th century, in the sense “to clasp with the arms”, then also “to enclose”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002) Frisius's dictionary of 1556 explains Latin ''amplecti'' with ''umbfahen, umbfassen, halsen'', and the word was then close to [[umarmen]].^(DWB|23, 872)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The concrete sense stayed with hands and arms: ''jemandes Knie umfassen''; more rarely the sea “embraces” the lands, as in Schiller's ''alle Länder, die das Meer umfaßt''.^(Paul 2002) The abstract sense “to comprise, include” follows [[fassen]] “to hold, contain” and matches the noun [[Umfang]]: a science ''umfasst'' a wide field.^(Paul 2002) At the end of the 18th century the present participle [[umfassend]] became an adjective “comprehensive”, as in Schiller's ''umfassender Sonnenblick des Genies''.^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ The separable verb, stressed on the prefix, meant to set a jewel anew;^(Paul 2002)^(Adelung 1793) Goethe in his Cellini wrote that the diamonds should be well ''umzufassen''.^(Paul 2002)^(Adelung 1793) The inseparable verb is also found in separated forms from early times, such as ''(sie) faßten um'' in Clara Viebig (1904).^(DWB|23, 872)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 15th century – ''Umfassen'' “to clasp, enclose” is recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1473 – Middle Low German ''ummevaten'' “to embrace”.^(DWB|23, 872)

+ * 1556 – Frisius explains Latin ''amplecti'' with ''umbfassen''.^(DWB|23, 872)

+ * Late 18th century – ''Umfassend'' becomes an adjective.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''(inseparable)'' To [[m|en|clasp]] or put one's arms or hands round someone or something: ''Sie umfasste seine Hand.''^(Duden Universal 2007)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # ''(inseparable)'' To surround, [[m|en|enclose]];^(Duden Universal 2007)^(Wiktionary DE) ''(military)'' to encircle enemy forces.^(Duden Universal 2007)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # ''(inseparable)'' To [[m|en|comprise]], consist of, include: ''Der Bericht umfasst vierzig Seiten.''^(Duden Universal 2007)^(Wiktionary)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # ''(separable)'' To grasp differently; to give a gem a new [[m|en|setting]].^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(separable, regional, especially North German)'' To put one's arm round someone.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[umfassend]]

+ * [[Umfassung]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fassen]]

+ * [[Fass]]

+ * [[Umfang]]

+ * [[umarmen]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The inseparable verb (''umfássen'', ''umfasst'') is the usual one; the separable one (''úmfassen'', ''umgefasst'') is rare, and Adelung already set the two apart by stress and forms.^(Adelung 1793)^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) In the regional sense one hears ''umgefasst gehen'', to walk with arms round each other.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}