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The Semantic Development of Verhältnis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 April 2026

Hans Sperber
Hans Sperber*
Affiliation:
Ohio State University
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Extract

Any attempt to clarify the development of the German word Verhältnis must start from the article, in which the Deutsches Wörterbuch discusses it—rather a voluminous article, but, as will be seen presently, by no means an exhaustive one.

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Language , Volume 14 , Issue 3: July-September , September 1938 , pp. 167 - 177
Copyright
Copyright © 1938 Linguistic Society of America

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References

1 The DWB also records one passage earlier than Wolf; Paul Melissus(-Schede) uses Verhältnis in his translation of the Book of Psalms (1572), where, however, it is used in a sense which is quite different from its later meaning. It signifies 'Verwahrung, Erhaltung', and can hardly be said to be identical with the modern German word. We have to recognize two different derivatives: one based on sich verhalten ‘to keep oneself in a safe position’ (und brochent den Kirchturn von Munoltzheim, . . . wande sü entsoszent, dasz sich der bischof daruf wurde verhalten. Closener, Städtechron. 8, 81); the other from sich verhalten 'to be in proportion, to be in a certain ratio to'.