Between «domestic» and «hidden»: semantics of the adjective heimlîch and its derivatives in Gottfried von Straßburg's «Tristan»

Abstract

The article is focused on the semantic analysis of the Middle High German adjective heimlîch «domestic», «close», «trusted», «hidden», «secret» and its derivatives in Gottfried von Straßburg's Tristan. The very idea of concealment in medieval literature is well studied, but the lexical side of the issue remains practically neglected. This study examines the etymology of heimlîch and its derivatives and analyses the contexts in which these lexemes are used. The Old High German adjective heimlîh could have the meaning «domestic, native», from which «close, trusted» developed in Middle High German, and only in the XII century the meaning «hidden (from strangers), secret» is found for the first time. In «Tristan», this adjective is mostly used in the meaning of «trusted, close». The noun heimlîсhе derived from it is also mostly used by Gottfried in the sense of «trust, closeness». In both cases, «trust» can be interpreted as the feature of the bond between lovers, which, according to Gottfried, is inherent in true love. The verb heimlîhen in 'Tristan' can mean not only «to become trusted», but also «to make homely». The adverb heimlîche(n), on the opposite, belongs mostly to actions performed in secret. Thus, the use of the adjective heimlîch and its derivatives in «Tristan» reflects the European medieval context, where the «open/public» is opposed not yet to the «private» but to the «non-public/hidden».

Keywords

• middle high german
• gottfried von straßburg
• tristan
• medieval romance
• the hidden
• semantics
• etymology