Unternehmen German · revision 34849

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1606|origins=gem-pro *nemaną}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˌʊntɐˈneːmən/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Unternehmen''' ''n'' (genitive Unternehmens, plural Unternehmen)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the infinitive of the verb [[unternehmen]] used as a noun, which Paul compares with [[fr|entreprise]].^(Paul 2002)^(Wiktionary)^(DWB|24, 1701) The verb goes back to [[gmh|undernemen]] and [[goh|untarneman]], formed from [[unter-]] and [[nehmen]]; the same formation is [[osx|undarniman]], [[ang|underniman]] and [[nl|ondernemen]].^(Wiktionary)^(DWB|24, 1696)^(Köbler AHD) Its base continues [[gem-pro|*nemaną|t=to take]], which Pfeifer derives from the root [[ine-pro|*nem-|t=to allot, take]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''untarneman'' is found in glosses of the 9th or 10th century and in Notker, meaning “to interrupt, prevent, intervene”.^(Köbler AHD) The noun is first recorded in 1606, in Wilhelm Dilich's Hungarian chronicle, of an undertaking that failed: ''dieses undernemen ohne frucht abgangen''.^(Paul 2002)^(DWB|24, 1701)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The verb took its present sense “to undertake” in the 16th century, but became common in it only in the 18th, while older German also said ''sich eines Dinges unternehmen''.^(Wiktionary)^(Paul 2002) In the 18th century the noun meant a plan or undertaking, often a bold or risky one, in writers such as Bodmer, Gottsched and Klopstock, and Campe in 1813 recommended it as the German word for French ''entreprise''.^(DWB|24, 1701)

+

+ From the early 19th century it has also named a business firm.^(Paul 2002) The participle ''unternehmend'' “enterprising”, modelled on French ''entreprenant'' and English ''enterprising'', became an adjective at the end of the 18th century.^(Paul 2002) [[Unternehmer]] became an economic term after English ''undertaker'' and French ''entrepreneur'', while ''Unternehmung'' goes back to Middle High German;^(Paul 2002) ''Unternehmungslust'' is recorded in Hegel.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 9th–10th century – Old High German ''untarneman'' “to interrupt” appears in glosses.^(Köbler AHD)

+ * 1606 – First record of the noun, in Dilich's Hungarian chronicle.^(DWB|24, 1701)^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1741 – Bodmer uses the noun for a bold enterprise.^(DWB|24, 1701)

+ * Late 18th century – ''unternehmend'' “enterprising” becomes an adjective.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1813 – Campe recommends it for French ''entreprise''.^(DWB|24, 1701)

+ * Early 19th century – The sense “business firm” appears.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An [[m|en|undertaking]], a planned action or venture: ''ein kühnes Unternehmen''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(military)'' An [[m|en|operation]].^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A business [[m|en|enterprise]], a [[m|en|company]] or firm: ''ein Unternehmen mit dreihundert Beschäftigten''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)^(Wiktionary DE)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Großunternehmen]]

+ * [[Kleinunternehmen]]

+ * [[Familienunternehmen]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[unternehmen]]

+ * [[Unternehmer]]

+ * [[Unternehmung]]

+ * [[nehmen]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}