höfliche

Höfliche is the attributive inflected form of the German adjective höflich, meaning courteous or polite. It is not a separate lexical item but a grammatical form used before a noun in specific declensions. In everyday German, höfliche appears in phrases such as höfliche Grüße (polite regards) or eine höfliche Bitte (a polite request). The ending -e reflects standard adjective endings in the attributive position without a strong article, for example before feminine singular or plural nouns, or in some singular/plural combinations depending on case and article.

Grammatical notes:

- Before feminine singular nouns or plural nouns without a definite article in the nominative or accusative, the form is höfliche, as in die höfliche Dame or höfliche Gäste.

- In phrases without an article but with plural nouns, or after possessive or demonstrative determiners, the form can also be höfliche, depending on case: e.g., höfliche Grüße (nominative/accusative plural).

- In the dative, plural form, the ending becomes höflichen, as in mit höflichen Grüßen.

Etymology and meaning:

Höflich derives from Old High German hoflîh and ultimately from the word Hof (court), originally relating to conduct befitting a court. Over time, höflich broadened to mean civil, well-mannered, and considerate in social interaction. In modern German, the term describes behavior and language appropriate to social norms, rather than a fixed category of people.

Usage and context:

Höfliche is common in formal writing and polite speech, especially in set phrases and in written communication such as letters and emails. It contrasts with harsher or more informal terms and with the adverbial form höflich, which describes the manner of an action rather than the noun phrase it accompanies. See also höflichkeit (politeness) and höfliche Anrede (polite forms of address).

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