liederlich

liederlich

German

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle High German liederlich (frivolous, originally "slack, weak"), which Kluge compares to Ancient Greek ἐλεύθερος (eleútheros, free) (from Proto-Indo-European *h₁lewdʰ- (to grow)).[1] Pokorny prefers a derivation from Proto-Indo-European *(s)lew- (slack; loose; limp), see also Old Norse slokna (to go out).[2]

Compare Old Norse loddari (juggler; tramp), Old High German lotar (vain; void; insignificant), Dutch lodder (a wanton), Old English loddere (pauper, beggar) and English lither. See also lotterig (slovenly) and lottern (lead a slovenly life)[3]. Not related to Luder.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈliːdɐlɪç/
  • Audio (Germany (Berlin)):(file)

Adjective

liederlich (strong nominative masculine singular liederlicher, comparative liederlicher, superlative am liederlichsten)

  1. slovenly, wanton, dissolute, lax

Declension

Descendants

  • Danish: liderlig
  • Dutch: liederlijk
    • Afrikaans: liederlik
  • Swedish: liderlig
  • Estonian: liiderlik

See also

References

  1. ^ Friedrich Kluge (1883), “liederlich”, in John Francis Davis, transl., Etymological Dictionary of the German Language, published 1891
  2. ^ Pokorny, Julius (1959), “(s)leu-”, in Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch [Indo-European Etymological Dictionary] (in German), volume 3, Bern, München: Francke Verlag, pages 962-63
  3. ^ Kluge, Friedrich (1989), “liederlich”, in Elmar Seebold, editor, Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache [Etymological Dictionary of the German Language] (in German), 22nd edition, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, →ISBN, page 442

Further reading