Information German · revision 34993

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1467|origins=la fōrma}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˌɪnfɔʁmaˈtsjoːn/, [ˌʔɪnfɔɐ̯maˈtsjoːn]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Information''' ''f'' (genitive Information, plural Informationen, diminutive Informatiönchen n)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|īnfōrmātiō|t=formation; instruction]], a noun from [[m|la|īnfōrmō|t=to shape; to instruct]], from [[m|la|in-]] and [[m|la|fōrmō|t=to shape, form]], from [[m|la|fōrma|t=shape, form]].^(Kluge 2011|444)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wahrig Herkunftswörterbuch)^(Duden GWDS 1999) The verb [[informieren]] was borrowed earlier, in the 14th century, and Paul records it in 1418.^(Kluge 2011|444)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002) Like the verb, the German noun took over only the figurative sense of the Latin word, “instruction, teaching”, not “shaping”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2007)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Paul gives a first record of 1467, in the form ''informaci'', meaning “instruction”.^(Paul 2002) Pfeifer dates the noun to the 15th century, while the 2007 Duden dictionary dates it to the 16th.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2007) The Early New High German dictionary records the senses “idea, image of something” and “teaching, instruction”,^(FWB) and the Deutsches Fremdwörterbuch notes the form ''Jnformation'' in Luther.^(DFWB)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Into the 19th century the noun still meant “instruction, teaching”, and ''Informator'', recorded in 1571, meant a private tutor until then.^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993) With the growth of the press it came to mean “message, news”;^(Paul 2002) Wahrig links its value as a commodity to the first news agencies of the 19th century.^(Wahrig Herkunftswörterbuch) In the 20th century it became a term of science and technology, as in ''Informationstheorie'', and Karl Steinbuch coined ''Informatik'' “computer science” from the same stem in 1957.^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993)

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+ The clipped form ''Info'' came up in the wake of the student movement of 1968.^(Paul 2002) Wahrig calls the word one of the most important internationalisms, which is why the pictogram “i” marks a place where information is given.^(Wahrig Herkunftswörterbuch)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1418 – The verb ''informieren'' is recorded.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1467 – First record of the noun, as ''informaci''.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1571 – ''Informator'' “tutor” is recorded.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1853 – ''informativ'' appears in Heyse's dictionary.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1957 – Karl Steinbuch coins ''Informatik''.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * Late 1960s – The clipping ''Info'' comes into use.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(uncountable)'' The act of informing or being informed: ''zu Ihrer Information''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A detailed, often official [[m|en|communication]] giving the facts about someone or something, usually on request: ''Weitere Informationen gibt es im Rathaus.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(usually plural)'' A piece of [[m|en|news]] or a hint that tells someone about an important matter; [[m|en|intelligence]]: ''Nach ersten Informationen gab es keine Verletzten.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(computing, cybernetics)'' The content of a message made up of the signs of a [[m|en|code]].^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Duden Fremdwörterbuch 2007)

+ # An information desk: ''Fragen Sie an der Information!''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Desinformation]]

+ * [[Info]]

+ * [[Fehlinformation]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Informatik]]

+ * [[informieren]]

+ * [[informativ]]

+ * [[Informant]]

+ * [[Form]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}