heftig German · revision 36200

+ {{infobox|confidence=disputed|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1230, Diu Crône}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈhɛftɪç/, [ˈhɛftʰɪç], /ˈhɛftɪk/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''heftig''' (strong nominative masculine singular heftiger, comparative heftiger, superlative am heftigsten)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|heftec|t=firm, persistent]], whose origin is disputed.^(Kluge 2011|402)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ Pfeifer, Duden and Paul derive it from the adjective [[goh|haft|t=bound, captive]], the base of the suffix [[-haft]], so that it first meant “holding fast”; the modern sense came under the influence of the unrelated Middle High German adjective [[m|gmh|heifte|t=impetuous, vehement]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2014)^(Paul 2002)^(Duden GWDS 1999) Kluge instead takes it as an extension of that older adjective, with a monophthong and a short vowel, and allows only that the adjective meaning “adhering” may have influenced its sound.^(Kluge 2011|402) Wiktionary also traces it to [[goh|heiftig]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ The adjective of the impetuous sense, [[m|goh|heifti]], belongs probably to [[gmw-pro|*haifsti|t=strife, exertion]], treated under [[Hast]].^(Kluge 2011|402)^(Wiktionary) The same noun is [[got|𐌷𐌰𐌹𐍆𐍃𐍄𐍃|tr=haifsts|t=strife]] and [[non|heifst|t=hatred, feud]], and with a simplified consonant group [[ang|hǣst|t=violence]] and [[lng|haistan|t=violently]].^(Pfeifer 1993) Kluge thinks the forms with /st/ and with /ft/ are separate simplifications of /fst/.^(Kluge 2011|402)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In Middle High German ''heftec'' was still rare and meant “firm, lasting, persistent”, also “under arrest, seized”, and figuratively “serious, important”.^(DWB|10, 771)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Köbler MHD) Köbler's earliest text is Heinrich von dem Türlin's ''Diu Crône'', about 1230.^(Köbler MHD) The impetuous adjective ''heifte'' appears in the ''Himmelreich'' of the second half of the 12th century, in “der heifter wint” (“the violent wind”).^(Köbler MHD)^(Lexer 1872|1, 1210)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The old sense “firm, holding” lasted in Bavarian: Aventin's chronicle tells of a bishop imprisoned in a ''heftigen thurn'', a strong tower.^(DWB|10, 771) In Early New High German it meant “persistent, enduring”, as in Luther's ''ein heftiger Kriegsmann'', and also “considerable, mighty”, with an adverb meaning “very”.^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993) By Stieler's time (1691) it referred only to strong physical or mental motion, as in ''heftig bitten'', a storm, a fight, a passion, a pain; from this came “passionate, quick to anger”, which Adelung records.^(Paul 2002) The noun [[Heftigkeit]] dates from the 15th century.^(Duden 7 2014)

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+ Dutch borrowed the word as [[nl|heftig|t=impetuous]] by 1562, and in English it is a direction in music.^(LWP) The Yiddish form is [[m|yi|העפֿטיק|tr=heftik]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 2nd half of the 12th century – The unrelated ''heifte'' “impetuous” is recorded.^(Köbler MHD)

+ * c. 1230 – ''heftec'' appears in ''Diu Crône''.^(Köbler MHD)

+ * 15th century – ''Heftigkeit'' is formed.^(Duden 7 2014)

+ * 1562 – Dutch has ''heftig'' “impetuous”.^(LWP)

+ * 1691 – Stieler uses ''heftig'' only of strong motion and feeling.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of great force or intensity: [[m|en|violent]], [[m|en|fierce]], severe, as in ''ein heftiges Gewitter'', ''heftige Kopfschmerzen''; as an adverb, strongly, very much: ''Es hat die ganze Nacht heftig gestürmt''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Easily roused, [[m|en|hot-tempered]], unrestrained: ''Er wird schnell heftig, wenn man ihm widerspricht''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Heftigkeit]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Hast]]

+ * [[Haft]]

+ * [[-haft]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}