herrschen German · revision 36173

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=10th century, Old High German glosses|origins=gem-pro *hairaz}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈhɛʁʃən/, [ˈhɛɐ̯ʃn̩], [ˈhɛɐ̯ʃən]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''herrschen''' (third-person singular present herrscht, past tense herrschte, past participle geherrscht, auxiliary haben)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|hērschen]], [[inh|goh|hērisōn]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*hairisōn]].^(Kluge 2011|413)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary) The verb is formed to the adjective [[hehr]], [[goh|hēr]], from [[gem-pro|*hairaz]], whose oldest sense was “grey, grey-haired” and which in West Germanic came to mean “venerable”.^(Kluge 2011|413)^(Kluge 2011|403) Pfeifer derives it from the comparative [[m|goh|hēriro|t=older, more venerable]], so that it first meant “to be older, more worthy”;^(Pfeifer 1993) Duden 7 allows either the comparative or a lost noun meaning “age, venerability”.^(Duden 7 2014|382) In meaning it soon leaned on [[Herr]], so that it was felt as “to be a lord”, as were [[Herrschaft]] and [[herrlich]];^(Kluge 2011|413)^(Duden 7 2014|382) Notker even spells it [[m|goh|hērresōn]] beside the usual form.^(DWB|10, 1155)

+

+ The related forms are [[gml|hērschen]] and [[nl|heersen]], which Pfeifer suspects were taken over from High German.^(Pfeifer 1993) The suffix /s/ became /ʃ/ in Middle High German, a change the Grimms' dictionary finds from the 14th century, while forms with plain ⟨s⟩ such as [[m|gmh|hersen]] lasted into the later 16th century.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DWB|10, 1155)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Kluge dates the verb to the 10th century, and Pfeifer to about 900.^(Kluge 2011|413)^(Pfeifer 1993) Köbler finds ''hērisōn'' first in 10th-century glosses and then in Notker, meaning “to rule, to have power, to be lord”, and Schützeichel lists it in Notker and the glosses.^(Köbler AHD)^(Schützeichel 2012|150) In Middle High German ''hērschen'' meant “to be lord, to hold sway, to master”, first recorded in a psalter from before 1190.^(Köbler MHD)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The Grimms' dictionary notes that a sharp distinction from [[regieren]] grew up only late: ''herrschen'' stresses the power to impose one's will as master, ''regieren'' a guidance by reason, as in Kant's line ''die Frau soll herrschen und der Mann regieren'' “the woman shall rule and the man govern”.^(DWB|10, 1155) Beside rule over land and people the verb came to mean that a condition is widespread and keenly felt, as of a mood, silence or weather.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Derivatives followed over the centuries: ''Herrscher'' “ruler” goes back to Old High German ''hērisāri'' (11th century), ''beherrschen'' and ''vorherrschen'' are recorded from the 15th century, and ''anherrschen'' “to address in a domineering tone” from the mid-19th century.^(Pfeifer 1993) Duden 7 dates ''beherrschen'' to the 18th century.^(Duden 7 2014|382) Swedish took the verb as ''härska'' about 1620, and Czech has ''heršovati'' “to behave like a lord”.^(LWP)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 900 – Old High German ''hērisōn'' is first recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 10th century – The verb appears in glosses and in Notker.^(Kluge 2011|413)^(Köbler AHD)

+ * 11th century – ''hērisāri'' “ruler” is recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 14th century – Forms with ⟨sch⟩ appear.^(DWB|10, 1155)

+ * 15th century – ''beherrschen'' and ''vorherrschen'' are first recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * c. 1620 – Swedish borrows the verb as ''härska''.^(LWP)

+ * Mid-19th century – ''anherrschen'' is first recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|rule]], to [[m|en|reign]]; to hold power over a country and its people: ''In diesem Land herrscht seit Jahrzehnten dieselbe Familie.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Of a condition or mood: to [[m|en|prevail]], to be present everywhere and clearly felt: ''Im Saal herrschte gespannte Stille.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(rare)'' To say something in a domineering tone; to snap at someone ([[anherrschen]]).^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Herrscher]]

+ * [[Herrscherin]]

+ * [[beherrschen]]

+ * [[Beherrschung]]

+ * [[vorherrschen]]

+ * [[anherrschen]]

+ * [[herrschend]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Herr]]

+ * [[hehr]]

+ * [[Herrschaft]]

+ * [[herrlich]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}