praktisch

Forms

praktisch (strong nominative masculine singular praktischer, comparative praktischer, superlative am praktischsten)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Late Latin practicus (“active”), from Ancient Greek πρακτικός (praktikós, “concerned with action, active, efficient”),^[2][3][4] from πράσσω (prā́ssō, “to do, accomplish”).^[2][4] Pfeifer and Wiktionary allow for the influence of French pratique (“applied, feasible, convenient”).^[2][1] It belongs with Praktik, borrowed in the 15th century from the Medieval Latin feminine practica, and with Praxis.^[5][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the 16th century the adjective meant “cunning, crafty”, a sense that goes with Praktik “trick, dodge”.^[2][7]

Semantic evolution

Duden dates the adoption of the adjective in its modern sense to the 18th century, and Pfeifer notes that from that time it is often opposed to theoretisch.^[3][2] The same contrast shaped the noun Praxis in the 18th century.^[6] The senses “useful, convenient” and “good at everyday tasks” followed, and in colloquial use the adverb came to mean “virtually, as good as”.^[2][4]

Dutch took the word as Dutch praktisch (recorded 1840), and Danish, Swedish and Norwegian have Danish praktisk from German.^[8][1]

Timeline

• Late 15th century – Praktik is borrowed from Medieval Latin.^[5][3]
• 16th century – praktisch “cunning, crafty”.^[2][7]
• 18th century – Adopted in the sense “relating to practice”, opposed to theoretisch.^[3][2]
• 1840 – Dutch praktisch “applicable, useful” is first recorded.^[8]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Relating to practice (Praxis) or real life rather than theory: praktische Erfahrungen;^[4][1] praktischer Arzt, a general practitioner.^[4][1]
2. Actual, occurring in reality: die praktischen Folgen eines Beschlusses.^[4]
3. practical, convenient, well suited to its purpose: eine praktische Tasche.^[4][1]
4. Skilled at dealing with everyday problems, practical-minded: ein praktischer Mensch.^[4]

Adverb

1. (colloquial) Basically, virtually, as good as: Das Spiel ist praktisch gewonnen.^[4]

Word family

• praktischerweise
• Praktiker

Related words

• Praktik
• Praxis
• praktizieren
• Praktikum
• pragmatisch

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h 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 d Duden. Das Herkunftswörterbuch: Etymologie der deutschen Sprache (2007), 4th ed., Duden vol. 7, Mannheim: Dudenverlag
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Duden. Das große Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache in zehn Bänden (1999), 3rd ed., Mannheim: Dudenverlag
5. ^ a b Kluge, Friedrich; Seebold, Elmar (2011), Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, 25th ed., Berlin / Boston: De Gruyter, p. 719
6. ^ a b Kluge, Friedrich; Seebold, Elmar (2011), Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, 25th ed., Berlin / Boston: De Gruyter, p. 721
7. ^ a b Anderson, Robert R.; Goebel, Ulrich; Reichmann, Oskar, eds. (1989–), Frühneuhochdeutsches Wörterbuch, Berlin / New York: De Gruyter; FWB-online, fwb-online.de
8. ^ a b Lehnwortportal Deutsch (2012–), Leibniz-Institut für Deutsche Sprache, Mannheim, lwp.ids-mannheim.de