erfüllen German · revision 36236

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=late 8th century, Old High German glosses|origins=gem-pro *fullaz}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ɛrˈfʏlən/, [ʔɛɐ̯ˈfʏlən]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''erfüllen''' (third-person singular present erfüllt, past tense erfüllte, past participle erfüllt, auxiliary haben)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|ervüllen]], [[inh|goh|irfullen]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*uʀfullijan]], a prefixed form of [[füllen]] with [[er-]].^(Wiktionary)^(DWB2|8, 1743) The same formation is [[gml|ervüllen]], [[dum|ervollen]], [[ang|āfyllan]] and [[got|𐌿𐍃𐍆𐌿𐌻𐌻𐌾𐌰𐌽|tr=usfulljan]].^(DWB2|8, 1743)^(DWB|3, 811) That verb continues the Germanic factitive [[gem-pro|*fulljaną|t=to fill]], “to make full”, from [[gem-pro|*fullaz|t=full]], the source of [[voll]].^(Kluge 2011|322)^(Kluge 2011|962)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''irfullen'' is recorded in glosses of the last quarter of the 8th century and in the Isidor, Tatian, Otfrid and Notker, meaning “to fill, fill up, accomplish, complete”, and also “to say Compline”.^(Köbler AHD)^(Schützeichel 2012|116) Otfrid (863–871) writes of the stone vessels at Cana: ''gibot tho selbo druhtin, siu wazares irfultin'' (“the Lord himself then commanded that they fill them with water”).^(DWB2|8, 1743)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The concrete sense “to make full” was common in Luther and wider than today, also ''sich erfüllen'' “to eat one's fill”; filling a vessel went out of use in the 19th century, while a room filled with smoke or scent remains.^(Paul 2002)^(DWB2|8, 1743) Hunters still said that game ''erfüllt sich'' when it has fed.^(DWB|3, 811) Luther's Bible also uses it of time, ''da die zeit erfüllet war'', and of a prophecy fulfilled.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ It came to mean “to fill someone with a feeling”, and, already in Old High German, “to grant, comply with” a wish, command or demand, today very common.^(Paul 2002) The noun [[Erfüllung]] (Middle High German ''ervüllunge'') gives ''in Erfüllung gehen'' “to come true”;^(Paul 2002) ''Erfüllungsort'' (1869) is a legal term, and ''Erfüllungspolitik'' (1923) was a disparaging nationalist name for the Weimar governments' policy of fulfilling the Treaty of Versailles.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Last quarter of the 8th century – Old High German ''irfullen'' appears in glosses.^(Köbler AHD)

+ * 863–871 – Otfrid uses ''irfultin'' of filling vessels with water.^(DWB2|8, 1743)

+ * 16th century – Luther uses it often, of filling, of time and of prophecy.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 19th century – The sense “to put something into a vessel” becomes obsolete.^(DWB2|8, 1743)

+ * 1869 – ''Erfüllungsort'' is recorded as a legal term.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1923 – ''Erfüllungspolitik'' is recorded.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|fill]] completely, spreading through a space: ''Rauch erfüllte die Küche'' “smoke filled the kitchen”.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To occupy someone's mind or feelings wholly;^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE) ''(formal)'' to fill someone with a feeling.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # To [[m|en|fulfil]]: to meet an obligation, expectation or demand; to grant a wish.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(reflexive)'' To come true.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(mathematics)'' To [[m|en|satisfy]] an equation or condition.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Erfüllung]]

+ * [[erfüllbar]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[füllen]]

+ * [[voll]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}