beimessen

Beimessen is a German verb meaning to attribute or attach a value, significance, or property to something, rather than to measure it physically. It is commonly used to describe how importance, blame, or other qualities are assigned to a person, event, or concept. A typical construction is dem X wird eine Y beigemessen, for example: Dem Ereignis wird eine große Bedeutung beigemessen.

Etymology and sense

The word is formed from be- plus messen (to measure). The sense has shifted from a literal act of measuring to a figurative act of assigning value or relevance. Bemessen, the related verb, retains the more literal meaning of measuring or determining size, and should not be confused with beigemessen, which centers on attribution.

Usage

Beimessen appears mainly in formal, analytical, or scholarly writing, including philosophy, sociology, linguistics, law, and media criticism. It typically appears in passive constructions: Es wird dem Phänomen viel Beachtung beigemessen. It can also convey that a particular attribute is ascribed to someone or something, such as Bedeutung (significance), Relevanz (relevance), or Schuld (blame).

Nuances and contrasts

Beimessen differs from zuschreiben, which is closer to “ascribe” in a broader sense, and from belegen or beabsichtigen, which relate to justification or intention rather than attribution of value. It should not be confused with physical measurement, which uses bemessen or messen in a literal sense. In everyday speech, beigemessen is less common and may sound formal or academic.

See also

bemessen; zuschreiben; Beachtung; Bedeutung; Relevanz.