politisch German · revision 34855

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=mid-16th century|origins=grc πόλις}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /poˈliːtɪʃ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''politisch''' (strong nominative masculine singular politischer, comparative politischer, superlative am politischsten)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fr|politique]], from [[la|polīticus|t=of the state]], from [[grc|πολιτικός|tr=polītikós|t=of the citizens, of the state]], from [[m|grc|πολίτης|tr=polī́tēs|t=citizen]], from [[m|grc|πόλις|tr=pólis|t=city, state]].^(Kluge 2011|714)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden GWDS 1999) The ending was adapted with the German suffix [[-isch]].^(Wiktionary) The noun [[Politik]] was borrowed from French in the 17th century.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002) [[Polizei]] belongs to the same Greek family, through [[m|grc|πολιτεία|tr=polīteía|t=citizenship, administration]].^(Kluge 2011|714)^(Duden 7 2007)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Pfeifer dates the adjective to the middle of the 16th century, in the sense “concerning the state”; the Grimms quote Burkard Waldis, who calls ''die politisch gesetz'' a cobweb that catches flies and lets birds through.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DWB|13, 1979)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Paul gives the early senses as “public, of the state” and, more generally, “worldly-wise”.^(Paul 2002) In the 17th and 18th centuries the word was often used of social conduct, sometimes negatively: Adelung (1777) says it often means “cunning, sly”, and in Goethe's ''Wilhelm Meister'' a character is not ''politisch'' enough to hide her feelings.^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993) A Bavarian source of 1694 still uses it for a courtly, refined tutor.^(DWB|13, 1979)

+

+ Goethe's line ''Ein garstig Lied! Pfui! Ein politisch Lied!'' from ''Faust'' became a familiar quotation.^(Paul 2002)^(Duden GWDS 1999) [[Politiker]] is first used by Klopstock, and [[politisieren]], 17th century, first meant “to talk politics”.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Mid-16th century – ''politisch'' is borrowed in the sense “concerning the state”.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1656 – Seckendorff uses the noun ''Politic''.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 17th century – The sense “clever, crafty” appears;^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002) ''politisieren'' is recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1777 – Adelung notes the sense “cunning, sly”.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 18th century – ''Politiker'' appears.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|political]], relating to [[m|en|politics]] and the state: ''eine politische Partei''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Pursuing political aims: ''ein politischer Streik''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(dated)'' Shrewd, tactically clever.^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Politik]]

+ * [[Politiker]]

+ * [[politisieren]]

+ * [[unpolitisch]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Polizei]]

+ * [[Metropole]]

+ * [[Kosmopolit]]

+ * [[en|political]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Politische Gefangene'' are people held for political reasons, and a ''politische Karte'' shows the borders of states.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Duden Fremdwörterbuch 2007)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}