Betrieb German · revision 35116

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1600}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /bəˈtʁiːp/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Betrieb''' ''m'' (genitive Betriebes or Betriebs, plural Betriebe)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|gml|bedrīf|t=activity, pursuit]], which reached High German about 1600 and was adapted there to [[Trieb]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Kluge 2011|116) Like the verb [[betreiben]], from [[m|gml|bedrīven]], it came into the standard language from Low German and Dutch.^(Kluge 2011|116)^(Pfeifer 1993) Wiktionary calls the noun a calque of the Middle Low German word and notes that its vowel is a monophthong as in Low German, where a native form would have the diphthong of [[treiben]]; compare [[nl|bedrijf]].^(Wiktionary) The Grimms' revised dictionary allows either a loan from Middle Low German or a derivation from the verb.^(DWB2|5, 1)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first records, from about 1600, mean “instigation, prompting” and “purposeful activity”: Lupold von Wedel's house book writes of a king's brother acting ''auf betrieb der treulosen mutter'' “at the instigation of his faithless mother”.^(DWB2|5, 1) Kluge describes the first sense as simply “operating, working, activity”.^(Kluge 2011|116)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Adelung records ''Betrieb'' as the noun of ''betreiben'': the grazing of a wood or field with cattle, the carrying on of a business with the diligence it needs, and in some dialects “prompting”.^(Adelung 1793|1, 944) The phrase ''auf Betrieb von'' “at the instance of” lasted into the 19th century: Bismarck still writes ''auf betrieb der conservativen partei'' in 1898.^(DWB2|5, 1)

+

+ Paul finds the word used only as a noun of action until the end of the 19th century, as in ''der Betrieb des Bergwerks'' and the phrases ''in Betrieb setzen'' and ''außer Betrieb''.^(Paul 2002) Towards 1900 it took on the concrete sense “business, firm, plant”, and colloquially “bustle, lively activity”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)^(Kluge 2011|116) In 1899 the economist Liefmann explained that a factory, a craftsman's workshop or a shop was a ''Betrieb'', and a ruling of the Reichsgericht in 1926 called it a community of employers and workers.^(Paul 2002) ''Betriebsam'' “industrious” was still praise before the First World War, but now often means “overbusy”.^(Paul 2002) Hungarian ''üzem'' (1862) is a calque of the German word, and the East German ''VEB'' (''Volkseigener Betrieb'') “state-owned enterprise” passed into English.^(LWP)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1600 – ''Betrieb'' appears in High German in the sense “instigation”.^(DWB2|5, 1)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 2nd half of the 18th century – ''betriebsam'' and ''Betriebsamkeit'' are recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1793 – Adelung lists the senses “grazing with cattle” and “carrying on of a business”.^(Adelung 1793|1, 944)

+ * 1862 – Hungarian ''üzem'' is formed after the German word.^(LWP)

+ * End of the 19th century – The senses “firm, plant” and “bustle” develop.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|business]] or [[m|en|enterprise]] that produces goods or provides services; a plant or works: ''Der Betrieb beschäftigt zweihundert Menschen.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The staff of such a business.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # The [[m|en|operation]] or running of a machine, plant or service: ''Die Rolltreppe ist außer Betrieb.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(rare)'' The operating of something, as in running a vehicle.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' [[m|en|bustle]], lively activity, heavy traffic: ''Am Samstag ist in der Innenstadt viel Betrieb.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # ''(archaic)'' Effort, instigation, as in Lessing.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[betriebsam]]

+ * [[Betriebsamkeit]]

+ * [[betrieblich]]

+ * [[Betriebsrat]]

+ * [[betriebsblind]]

+ * [[Betriebsklima]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[betreiben]]

+ * [[treiben]]

+ * [[Trieb]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}