blauäugig
German edit
Etymology edit
The metaphorical use (19th c.) is usually linked to the typically blue-eyed and fair-haired characters in naive, romanticist art. Compare blond (“stupid”). Perhaps the fact that newborns often have blue eyes may also be considered.
Pronunciation edit
- IPA(key): /ˈblaʊ̯ˌʔɔʏ̯ɡɪç/ (standard)
- IPA(key): /-ˌʔɔʏ̯ɡɪk/ (common form in southern Germany, Austria, and Switzerland)
Audio (file) - Hyphenation: blau‧äu‧gig
Adjective edit
blauäugig (strong nominative masculine singular blauäugiger, comparative blauäugiger, superlative am blauäugigsten)
- blue-eyed
- (figuratively) innocent; naive, starry-eyed
- Es ist blauäugig, allen Versprechen der Politiker zu glauben.
- It's naive to believe all the politicians' promises.
Usage notes edit
- In attributive use the word is always to be understood as "blue-eyed" unless the context implies otherwise. In predicative use the figurative sense is more common because one would usually describe eye colour by saying Er hat blaue Augen (“He has blue eyes”).
Declension edit
Positive forms of blauäugig
Comparative forms of blauäugig
Superlative forms of blauäugig
Related terms edit
Further reading edit
- “blauäugig” in Duden online