# Heimat



## dihydrogen monoxide

In 16th century German the word Heimat meant wheat, I'd like to know what is the etymology of that word and when did Heimat become homeland. Regarding Heimat as homeland, the suffix -at is weird to me as I know of this suffix in German in Latin loanwords.


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## fdb

dihydrogen monoxide said:


> In 16th century German the word Heimat meant wheat,



 Really?


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## Ellis91

I always assumed this word was cognate with "home" somehow.


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## elroy

Wikipedia says:

The German equivalent of "home" is _Heim_ (Germanic _*haimaz_). The feminine noun _Heimat_ is attested around the 11th century (late OHG _heimōti_ n., MGH _heimōt(e)_ f., n.) by way of the suffix _*-ōt(i)-_ expressing a state or condition also found in _Monat_ = _month_, which became somewhat productive in medieval German (c.f _Heirat_, _Zierat_, _Kleinod_, _Einöde_). There is a close Gothic cognate _haimōþli_ (for ἀγρός "lands, homestead" in Mark 10, reflected in OHG _heimōdili_).
Heimat - Wikipedia


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## jimquk

elroy said:


> Wikipedia says:
> 
> The German equivalent of "home" is _Heim_ (Germanic _*haimaz_). The feminine noun _Heimat_ is attested around the 11th century (late OHG _heimōti_ n., MGH _heimōt(e)_ f., n.) by way of the suffix _*-ōt(i)-_ expressing a state or condition also found in _Monat_ = _month_, which became somewhat productive in medieval German (c.f _Heirat_, _Zierat_, _Kleinod_, _Einöde_). There is a close Gothic cognate _haimōþli_ (for ἀγρός "lands, homestead" in Mark 10, reflected in OHG _heimōdili_).
> Heimat - Wikipedia



So = *hometh /homθ/, or perhaps *homth /hʌmθ/ ?!


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## dihydrogen monoxide

fdb said:


> Really?


I used to work at a historical archive and they would write down on cards the meaning of German words from that time. At the time a dictionary of medieval German was also published that mentioned this meaning. At the time it was also weird for me that this meaning was there.


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## fdb

What is the name of this dictionary?


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## Delvo

Ellis91 said:


> I always assumed this word was cognate with "home" somehow.


It is. It's an example of a sound shift we can also find in other German/English word pairs like Stein/stone, Bein/bone, and the suffixes heit/hood. Also, places in Old Norse were sometimes named as the "heimr" of the people who live there (Álfheimr, homeland of the Elves).

The part I can't explain is "Hemiat" as "wheat" in German. I thought at first that it might be connected to "emmer", the name of a particular type of wheat in English, but the German equivalent there turned out to be Amel.


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## berndf

Delvo said:


> The part I can't explain is "Hemiat" as "wheat" in German.


I share @fdb's scepticism if there is anything to explain. This meaning does certainly not exist in current German and evidence that it ever has is still outstanding.


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## sotos

Nobody has claimed a relationship, but the similarity with the Greek _haima_ (gen. _haimatos_) is intriguing.


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## ioanell

berndf said:


> I share @fdb's scepticism if there is anything to explain.


Shouldn't it have been "I share Delvo's scepticism if there is anything to explain" or am I missing something?


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## berndf

ioanell said:


> Shouldn't it have been "I share Delvo's scepticism if there is anything to explain" or *am I missing something?*


It seems so. See the very first reply, #2. @fdb's _Really? _was my initial reaction as well. We both doubt that the premise of the question (_in 16th century German the word Heimat meant wheat_) is correct.

@Delvo said he couldn't explain *why* this shift in meaning occurred but, unlike @fdb and me, he didn't doubt *that* it occurred.


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## ioanell

berndf said:


> See the very first reply, #2. @fdb's _Really? _was my initial reaction as well. We both doubt that the premise of the question (_in 16th century German the word Heimat meant wheat_) is correct.


Without entering the core of the initial question, and without questioning a possible intention for doubt on the part of fdb, I am simply pointing out that an interrogative adverb “Really?”, as it stands alone in #2 immediately after the initial quote regarding the meaning of the word Heimat, doesn’t necessarily express doubt, but it could as well express true ignorance of, and interest in, the case; and as s/he wanted to have a documented answer, s/he asks for the name of the dictionary some postings below. On what grounds would that be improbable?


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## berndf

Then you should ask @fdb but I am quite sure I understood him correctly.


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## ioanell

berndf said:


> Then you should ask @fdb but I am quite sure I understood him correctly.


No, dear friend. Irrespective of whether you are quite sure that you understood him/her correctly by just a “Really?” and irrespective of what his/her real view is, the matter which remains is that it is you, not me, who arbitrarily interpreted his/her view and it is you who should ask him/her accordingly. Happy New Year, without pandemic.


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## fdb

I think Bernd is very good at reading my mind.


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