schützen German · revision 36271

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=inherited|attested=14th century|origins=gmw-pro *skuttjan}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈʃʏ.t͡sn̩/, /ˈʃʏ.t͡sən/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''schützen''' (third-person singular present schützt, past tense schützte, past participle geschützt, auxiliary haben)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|schützen|t=to dam up, hold back water]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*skuttjan|t=to shut, close off]].^(Kluge 2011|830)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary) Old High German has no record of it, and in Middle High German it is rare and found only in Central German sources.^(DWB|15, 2128) The same verb is [[gml|schütten|t=to hinder, dam up water, shut in]], [[dum|scutten|t=to enclose, fence in]], [[ofs|sketta|t=to lock]] and [[ang|scyttan|t=to bolt]], the source of [[en|shut]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Kluge 2011|830)

+

+ Its further origin is disputed.^(Kluge 2011|830)^(Pfeifer 1993) Pfeifer, Paul and the Grimms' dictionary take it as an intensive formation to [[schießen]], with the starting sense “to shoot a bolt forward, bar”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)^(DWB|15, 2128) Duden finds that link unsatisfying in meaning; it reports an attempt to connect the verb with [[schließen]], with a simplified initial cluster, and the possibility that it belongs with [[schütten]] through [[m|gmh|schüten|t=to heap up earth, embank, protect]].^(Duden 7 2020|762) Kluge prefers the comparison with “to close” for the senses of barring water, though it is not free of formal problems, and does not rule out formations of “to pour”; how much of the other senses belongs here is still unclear.^(Kluge 2011|830)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Middle High German ''schützen'', in Central German also ''schutzen'', meant “to dam up, embank, hold back water”, as with the board of a sluice, and also “to grant protection, shield, defend”, for example in Heinrich von Freiberg's ''Tristan''.^(Lexer 1872|2, 836)^(DWB|15, 2128) Middle Low German ''schutten'' appears beside “shield and defend” in a text of 1395.^(DWB|15, 2128)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The Grimms' dictionary explains the sense “to protect” from barring a house with bolts and beams, while the Upper German verb ''beschütten'', which had the same meaning, started from the wall and earthworks around a town; from the beginning of New High German, Central German ''schützen'' spread south and replaced it.^(DWB|15, 2128) Paul likewise has the modern sense spread from Central German.^(Paul 2002) Adelung in 1793 still records both meanings, holding back water with a dam and keeping harm away from someone.^(Adelung 1793|3, 1697)

+

+ The formula ''schützen und schirmen'' “to protect and shelter” is old;^(DWB|15, 2128)^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993) Paul and Pfeifer date ''Schutz und Schirm'' to the 16th century.^(DWB|15, 2128)^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993) Newer uses are legal protection, as of an invention by a patent, and the protection of plant and animal species from extinction.^(Paul 2002)^(Duden GWDS 1999) From the noun [[Schutz]] came ''Schutzmann'', “defender” in the 17th century and “policeman” in the 19th.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 14th century – First record of late Middle High German ''schützen'' “to dam up”.^(Kluge 2011|830)

+ * 1395 – Middle Low German ''schutten'' “to protect” in a legal formula.^(DWB|15, 2128)

+ * 16th century – The formula ''Schutz und Schirm'' is in use.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)

+ * 17th century – ''vorschützen'' “to plead as an excuse” and ''Schützling'' “protégé” appear.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|762)

+ * 1793 – Adelung still gives “to hold back water” as the first sense.^(Adelung 1793|3, 1697)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|protect]], [[m|en|shield]] or [[m|en|guard]] someone or something from danger or harm (''vor'', ''gegen''); also reflexive, to protect oneself: ''Die Hecke schützt das Haus vor dem Wind.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To place under legal protection, so that others may not use it: ''Die Firma ließ ihren Markennamen schützen.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Paul 2002)

+ # To place a plant, an animal or a landscape under [[Naturschutz]]: ''In dem Tal sind alle Orchideen geschützt.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Schutz]]

+ * [[Schützling]]

+ * [[beschützen]]

+ * [[vorschützen]]

+ * [[schützenswert]]

+ * [[ungeschützt]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[schießen]]

+ * [[schütten]]

+ * [[Schütz]]

+ * [[en|shut]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Etwas vorschützen'' “to use something as a pretext” (17th century) is understood by Duden as originally “to put up a protective wall”.^(Duden 7 2020|762)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}