albern

German

Etymology

From Middle High German alwære, from Old High German alawāri (friendly, good-natured), from a compound of Proto-Germanic *allaz (all) + *wēraz (true; friendly). The final -n is an original case ending that was added to the stem in German Low German territory (compare schüchtern). Close cognate with Gothic 𐌰𐌻𐌻𐌰𐍅𐌴𐍂𐌴𐌹 (allawērei, sincerity, simplicity); for a similar semantic association between "silliness" and "friendliness", compare the unrelated English nice.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈalbərn/, [ˈʔalbɐn], [ˈʔälb̥ɐn] (most of Germany, some of Austria)
  • Audio:(file)
  • Audio:(file)
  • IPA(key): /ˈalbərn/, [ˈʔɑlb̥ərn], [ˈʔälb̥ərn], [ˈʔälb̥ɛrn] (Switzerland, some of Austria)

Adjective

albern (strong nominative masculine singular alberner, comparative alberner, superlative am albernsten)

  1. goofy, silly, childish (inappropriately funny)

Declension

Derived terms

  • Albernheit

Further reading

  • albern” in Duden online
  • albern” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache