feststellen German · revision 36268

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=1584}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈfɛstˌʃtɛlən/, [ˈfɛstˌʃtɛln]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''feststellen''' (third-person singular present stellt fest, past tense stellte fest, past participle festgestellt, auxiliary haben)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a compound [[af|de|fest|stellen|t1=firm|t2=to put, place]], recorded since the 17th century;^(Kluge 2011|290)^(Pfeifer 1993) the revised Grimm dictionary has it from 1584 and notes that it was often written separately until the 19th century.^(DWB2|9, 406) According to Kluge, the sense “to establish, ascertain” comes from making uncertain or disputed facts secure, literally “firm”, and was then generalised.^(Kluge 2011|290)

+

+ The adjective is [[gmh|veste]], [[goh|festi]], from [[gem-pro|*fastuz|t=firm]], the source also of [[non|fastr]], [[ang|fæst]] and [[en|fast]]; its origin outside Germanic is unclear.^(Kluge 2011|289)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first records, from 1584, mean “to make firm, fix in place”, as in Lobwasser's psalter: ''die seulen der welt … die nicht fest gestelt'' (“the pillars of the world … that are not set firm”).^(DWB2|9, 406) In 1625 an instrument is “set fast” by a tube.^(DWB2|9, 406)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 17th century the verb also meant “to found permanently” and “to fix, settle by agreement”: in 1661 a document states that it is ''fest gestellet'' that everyone will meet on 16 September.^(DWB2|9, 406) The sense “to find out, ascertain” is recorded from 1678, when the time of the Chatti's arrival “cannot be established”, and the sense “to state firmly” from 1696; in the 20th century stating became its main use.^(DWB2|9, 406) Pfeifer sums up the senses as “to make immovable, investigate, agree, confirm”.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1584 – First record, “to make firm”, in Lobwasser's psalter.^(DWB2|9, 406)

+ * 1661 – Sense “to fix by agreement”.^(DWB2|9, 406)

+ * 1678 – Sense “to ascertain”.^(DWB2|9, 406)

+ * 1696 – Sense “to state with certainty”.^(DWB2|9, 406)

+ * 19th century – Usually written as one word from now on.^(DWB2|9, 406)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To find out, [[m|en|ascertain]], [[m|en|establish]]: ''Die Polizei konnte die Identität des Fahrers feststellen.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To [[m|en|notice]], realise: ''Am Abend stellte sie fest, dass ihr Schlüssel fehlte.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To state firmly, declare.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To [[m|en|lock]] in position: ''den Sitz feststellen''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Feststellung]]

+ * [[Feststellbremse]]

+ * [[Feststelltaste]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fest]]

+ * [[stellen]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}