pro German · revision 34976

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=14th century|origins=la prō}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''pro''' (preposition with the accusative; also an adverb, and as a noun ''das Pro'')^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|prō|t=before, for, instead of, in proportion to]], a learned borrowing first used in the language of merchants, recorded since the 14th century.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary DE)^(FWB) The Latin preposition corresponds to [[grc|πρό|tr=pró|t=before, forward]], and the Duden relates it to the German prefix [[ver-]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2014|657)

+

+ The same Latin word is the prefix [[pro-]] of many loanwords, with senses such as “forward” (as in [[produzieren]]), “in favour of” (as in [[protegieren]]), “instead of” (as in [[Pronomen]]) and “in proportion to” (as in [[Proportion]]); the Greek word supplied a prefix of its own, as in [[Prolog]] and [[Programm]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2014|657)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In the earliest use, the language of commerce, the word stood before measures, weights and periods of time, “per”.^(Pfeifer 1993) The Early New High German dictionary records three uses: “for the benefit of”, “in the place of, as good as” and, with two quantities, “in proportion to, for each”.^(FWB)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The commercial sense “each, per” became the main one, common in phrases such as ''pro Jahr'', ''pro Kopf'' and ''pro Person''.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2014|657) Beside it the word came to be used as an adverb meaning “for, in favour”, as in ''pro eingestellt sein'', the opposite of [[kontra]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2014|657) The noun ''das Pro'' “the case for” is mainly used in the fixed pair ''das Pro und Kontra''.^(Duden Fremdwörterbuch 2007)^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 14th century – First recorded in the language of commerce, before measures and weights.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ * 1350–1650 – Early New High German uses it also for “in favour of” and “instead of”.^(FWB)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Preposition===

+ # [[m|en|per]], for each: ''zehn Euro pro Stück'', ''zweimal pro Woche''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # For, in favour of.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # In [[m|en|favour]]: ''Bist du pro oder kontra?''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(das Pro)'' The case for something: ''das Pro und Kontra'', the arguments [[m|en|for]] and against.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Duden Fremdwörterbuch 2007)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[pro-]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[kontra]]

+ * [[ver-]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Pro Kopf'' and colloquial ''pro Nase'' mean “per person, each”.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Duden 7 2014|657) A separate colloquial noun ''der Pro'' is short for ''Golfpro'', a golf professional.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}