Etymologically
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Konzept

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Pronunciation

  • [kɔnˈtsɛpt][1]

Forms

Konzept n (genitive Konzeptes or Konzepts, plural Konzepte)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin conceptum (“something conceived”), borrowed in the 16th century;[2][3][4] Pfeifer adds the influence of conceptus (“a taking in; thought, purpose”), since the German word first also meant “plan in the mind, intention”.[2][3][4] Paul and the Duden dictionary derive it from the latter noun directly.[5][6]

The Latin noun is the past participle of concipiō (“to take in, conceive, put into words”), from con- (“together”) and capiō (“to take, seize”).[2][3][7] The verb also gave konzipieren, recorded as Middle High German concipieren (“to conceive”), and conceptiō gave Konzeption in the 18th century.[7][2][8]

Earliest recorded meaning

Around 1500 Concept was common in the language of the chanceries for the draft of a document; a source of 1558 mentions the Concept of a little book seen two years before.[4][5] In the 16th century it also meant a plan formed in the mind, a purpose, as in the Zurich Bible of about 1530.[4]

Semantic evolution

The older sense “intention” lived on in phrases: aus dem Konzept kommen “to lose the thread” (17th century) and jemanden aus dem Konzept bringen “to put someone off” (18th century).[2][5][4] Jemandem das Konzept verrücken “to thwart someone's plan” was used from about 1700 to 1900, and das Konzept verderben appears in Lenz's Die Soldaten (1776).[5] Adelung recorded Konzeptpapier, a coarse paper for drafts, in 1774.[5]

In modern German the word means both a rough draft of a text or speech and a clearly outlined plan or programme.[6][1]

Timeline

  • c. 1500 – Concept is common in chancery language for a draft.[4][5]
  • c. 1530 – The Zurich Bible uses Concept for “purpose, intention”.[4]
  • 17th century – aus dem Konzept kommen is recorded.[2]
  • 1774 – Adelung lists Konzeptpapier.[5]
  • 1776 – Lenz writes das Konzept verderben.[5]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A rough draft or outline of a text or speech: Sie hielt den Vortrag ohne Konzept.[6][1]
  2. A clearly outlined plan or programme for a project: ein neues Konzept für den Stadtverkehr.[6][1]

Word family

  • konzeptuell
  • Konzeption
  • konzipieren
  • English concept

Usage notes

Aus dem Konzept kommen is to lose the thread while speaking or working, and jemanden aus dem Konzept bringen is to make someone lose it.[6] Jemandem das Konzept verderben (colloquial) is to spoil someone's plans, and something that nicht ins Konzept passt does not fit in with them.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f Pfeifer, Wolfgang, et al. (1993), Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Deutschen, 2nd ed., Berlin: Akademie-Verlag; digital revised version in the DWDS, dwds.de
  3. ^ a b c Wiktionary, das freie Wörterbuch (German Wiktionary), de.wiktionary.org
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Schulz, Hans; Basler, Otto, et al. (1913–1988), Deutsches Fremdwörterbuch, 7 vols., Strasbourg / Berlin: Trübner / De Gruyter; 2nd ed., ed. Gerhard Strauß et al. (1995–), Berlin / New York: De Gruyter; via OWID, Leibniz-Institut für Deutsche Sprache
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Paul, Hermann (2002), Deutsches Wörterbuch: Bedeutungsgeschichte und Aufbau unseres Wortschatzes, 10th ed., ed. Helmut Henne, Heidrun Kämper and Georg Objartel, Tübingen: Niemeyer
  6. ^ a b c d e f Duden. Das große Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache in zehn Bänden (1999), 3rd ed., Mannheim: Dudenverlag
  7. ^ a b Kluge, Friedrich; Seebold, Elmar (2011), Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, 25th ed., Berlin / Boston: De Gruyter, p. 530
  8. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Mittelhochdeutsches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling