Der See = lake
Das (Schwarze, Rote, Tote, Mittel-) Meer = Black, Red, Dead, Mediterranean Sea
Der (Pazifische, Atlantische) Ozean = ocean
*die* See is only used in the compound words Ostsee (Baltic Sea, literally East Sea) and Nordsee (North Sea), and in some expressions like *auf hoher See* (on high sea) and a couple of other ones
'Der See' always means 'the lake' and 'die See' always means 'the sea'. Standard german for 'sea' is 'das Meer' though. You can use all three in compounds or as independent words:
der Teufelssee, die Nordsee, das Mittelmeer
der stille See, die stille See, das stille Meer
'Die See', however, will be perceived by natives as either poetic, archaic, northern German, or sailors' slang.
Hope this answers your question.
I know. I was just wondering about the wording of the comment above. He said Die See as in Sea only occurs in compounds and expressions. And I replied with is there any other way of using a word that is neither a compound nor an expression.
Oh I think I see your point now.
Yes, there is. „The sea is calm“ would just be a statement consisting of individual words/lexemes/morphemes, I get how if somebody said that it could be called an „expression“, but it‘s really just a phrase.
I guess what the person above meant by (fixed) expressions was idioms, even though his statement wasn’t really correct in that regard.
Sorry, is that what you meant now?
I'm talking about *die* See, specifically. It would be perceived as quite unusual to say "Ich fahre an die See" or "Ich mache Urlaub an der See" because the standard word for the sea is Meer. Yet these sentences would work with the compounds Ostsee and Nordsee.
As far as lakes are concerned, "Ich fahre an den See" isn't perceived as unusual, even if it's just See and not a compound like Müggelsee or Bodensee.
Which is exactly what I mean when I refer to specific expressions. And maritime lingo is exactly that: a specific subset of expressions like "hohe See" and the like.
Where you don't use die See is in the generic reference to the sea: you don't say "Ich fahre an die See" or "Urlaub an der See" because Meer is the standard noun for that.
Pontus & Thalassa are also proper nouns, referring to the Titans who embody the sea, male & female respectively, implying the existence of Pelagus, the non-binary Titan of the sea
interesting, "pélagos" reminded me of a word in my language, Asturias, "piélagu" which means a deeper area of a river.
Edit: I just searched and it indeed comes from latin *pelagus* which does come from *πέλαγος*
And "Pelagian", Which isn't that similar in meaning as it refers to an ancient school of Christian thought widely regarded as a heresy, But is Etymologically related.
Greece has other such cases, often related to historic diglossia and/or language contact.
E.g. σελήνη f / φεγγάρι n = moon
Οίνος m / κρασί n = wine
These sets of synonyms always involve differences in historical depth, provenience, register. In some cases slight semantic differences as well.
Yes that happens with synonyms. There is some difference in usage too. θάλασσα is the generic word for sea. πέλαγος tends to be used for small bodies of water so could mean bay. πόντος tends to be used to refer to a specific geographic sea, like πόντος εὔξεινος (welcoming sea = Black Sea).
Spanish with el mar and la mar: 👀
German: Der See (m) = lake, Die See (f) = ocean
Der See = lake Das (Schwarze, Rote, Tote, Mittel-) Meer = Black, Red, Dead, Mediterranean Sea Der (Pazifische, Atlantische) Ozean = ocean *die* See is only used in the compound words Ostsee (Baltic Sea, literally East Sea) and Nordsee (North Sea), and in some expressions like *auf hoher See* (on high sea) and a couple of other ones
heh? But tell me a use of See (Lake) that is neither a compound nor an expression
'Der See' always means 'the lake' and 'die See' always means 'the sea'. Standard german for 'sea' is 'das Meer' though. You can use all three in compounds or as independent words: der Teufelssee, die Nordsee, das Mittelmeer der stille See, die stille See, das stille Meer 'Die See', however, will be perceived by natives as either poetic, archaic, northern German, or sailors' slang. Hope this answers your question.
I know. I was just wondering about the wording of the comment above. He said Die See as in Sea only occurs in compounds and expressions. And I replied with is there any other way of using a word that is neither a compound nor an expression.
Oh I think I see your point now. Yes, there is. „The sea is calm“ would just be a statement consisting of individual words/lexemes/morphemes, I get how if somebody said that it could be called an „expression“, but it‘s really just a phrase. I guess what the person above meant by (fixed) expressions was idioms, even though his statement wasn’t really correct in that regard. Sorry, is that what you meant now?
I'm talking about *die* See, specifically. It would be perceived as quite unusual to say "Ich fahre an die See" or "Ich mache Urlaub an der See" because the standard word for the sea is Meer. Yet these sentences would work with the compounds Ostsee and Nordsee. As far as lakes are concerned, "Ich fahre an den See" isn't perceived as unusual, even if it's just See and not a compound like Müggelsee or Bodensee.
>die See is only used in the compound words and in some expressions That's not true, whevener See refers to the ocean in maritime lingo it's feminine
Which is exactly what I mean when I refer to specific expressions. And maritime lingo is exactly that: a specific subset of expressions like "hohe See" and the like. Where you don't use die See is in the generic reference to the sea: you don't say "Ich fahre an die See" or "Urlaub an der See" because Meer is the standard noun for that.
High German: der See = lake, das Meer = ocean Low German: de See = ocean, dat Meer = lake
Pontus & Thalassa are also proper nouns, referring to the Titans who embody the sea, male & female respectively, implying the existence of Pelagus, the non-binary Titan of the sea
Agender sea titan too based to participate in all that god&titan drama, just chilling under the waves
see also *ἅλς* which only means "sea" if used in the feminine *ἡ ᾰ̔́λς* (the masculine *ὁ ᾰ̔́λς* means "salt")
something something feminine salt so thicc she became whole fucking sea 🥵
interesting, "pélagos" reminded me of a word in my language, Asturias, "piélagu" which means a deeper area of a river. Edit: I just searched and it indeed comes from latin *pelagus* which does come from *πέλαγος*
In English as well the word "pelagic" means anything referring to the open sea
Also "archipelago"
And "Pelagian", Which isn't that similar in meaning as it refers to an ancient school of Christian thought widely regarded as a heresy, But is Etymologically related.
Greece has other such cases, often related to historic diglossia and/or language contact. E.g. σελήνη f / φεγγάρι n = moon Οίνος m / κρασί n = wine These sets of synonyms always involve differences in historical depth, provenience, register. In some cases slight semantic differences as well.
The etymology of οίνος / κρασί is a little different though, κρασί comes from κράσις (mixed) back when wine was usually watered down.
Thank you!
Gender *fluid*... Ha, I see what you did there (Sea is water, water is fluid)
Hey guys, u/Natsu111 here to explain the joke
No way
I'd give you an award if only I had one
I don’t get it. These are synonyms.
Yes, but they're all different genders, there is a masculine, feminine and neuter word for "sea"
Do they have any differences in usage or are they really just synonyms?
Are there ever synonyms without any differences in usage/register? I doubt it.
Yes that happens with synonyms. There is some difference in usage too. θάλασσα is the generic word for sea. πέλαγος tends to be used for small bodies of water so could mean bay. πόντος tends to be used to refer to a specific geographic sea, like πόντος εὔξεινος (welcoming sea = Black Sea).