gefallen German · revision 36274

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ɡəˈfaln̩/, /ɡeˈfalɛn/, /ɡeˈfaln̩/^(Wiktionary)

+ * Germany: /ɡəˈfalən/^(Wiktionary)

+ * Austria, Southern-Germany, Switzerland: [ɡ̊e-]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''gefallen''' (class 7 strong, third-person singular present gefällt, past tense gefiel, past participle gefallen, auxiliary haben)^(Wiktionary)

+ Early New High German writers often wrote the third person singular without umlaut, ''gefallt'', as Bavarian still does.^(DWB|4, 2102)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|gevallen]], [[inh|goh|gifallan|t=to fall to, fall to one's share]], formed [[af|de|ge-|fallen]].^(Kluge 2011|339)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary) The same formation is [[gml|gevallen]], [[dum|gevallen]] and [[ang|gefeallan]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DWB|4, 2102) [[fallen]] is [[goh|fallan]], from [[gem-pro|*fallaną|t=to fall]];^(Köbler AHD)^(Wiktionary)^(Duden 7 2007) Duden relates it to [[lt|pulti|alt=pùlti|t=to fall]].^(Köbler AHD)^(Wiktionary)^(Duden 7 2007)

+

+ The sense “to please” grew out of “to fall to someone, fall to one's lot”, probably with reference to the fall of dice or lots.^(Kluge 2011|339)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2014) Middle High German still added adverbs such as [[m|gmh|wol|t=well]] and [[m|gmh|baz|t=better]]: “it falls well to me” meant “I have drawn a good lot”.^(Kluge 2011|339)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''gifallan'' is recorded in glosses from the end of the 8th century and in Tatian, Otfrid and Notker.^(Köbler AHD)^(Schützeichel 2012|95) It meant “to fall, happen, fall to someone's share”, and also “to be fitting, suit”.^(Schützeichel 2012|95)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Early New High German the verb still also meant “to fall to, be allotted”.^(Paul 2002)^(FWB) The present meaning seems to come from a neutral use, as in ''wie gefällt dir das?'', which could be answered with “well” or “badly” (formerly ''wohl'' or ''übel'').^(Paul 2002) Older German also used it of a decision, with ''zu'' and an infinitive, as in a death notice saying that it pleased God to call someone to him;^(Paul 2002) Wieland and Goethe used the reflexive ''sich gefallen'' “to enjoy being somewhere”.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ The adjective [[gefällig]] goes back to Old High German ''gifellīg'' “suitable, right” (about 1000), and [[Gefallen]] to Middle High German ''geval''.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 8th century – Old High German ''gifallan'' appears in glosses.^(Kluge 2011|339)^(Köbler AHD)

+ * c. 1000 – Notker uses ''gifallan'';^(Schützeichel 2012|95)^(Pfeifer 1993) ''gifellīg'' is recorded.^(Schützeichel 2012|95)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * Early New High German – The old sense “to fall to” is still current.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1793 – Adelung defines the verb as “to be felt as good, arouse pleasure”.^(Adelung 1793)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|please]], to appeal to someone (with the dative, English usually says ''to like''): ''Die neue Wohnung gefällt meinen Eltern.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(reflexive)'' ''sich in etwas gefallen'': to show off complacently in a certain role or behaviour.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # ''sich etwas gefallen lassen'' ''(colloquial)'': to put up with something unpleasant; also, to accept something gladly.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[gefällig]]

+ * [[Gefälligkeit]]

+ * [[Gefallen]]

+ * [[Wohlgefallen]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fallen]]

+ * [[Fall]]

+ * [[missfallen]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The adjective ''gefallen'' “fallen, dropped” is the past participle of [[fallen]], not of this verb.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}