Telefon German · revision 35197

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=coinage, compound|attested=1794|origins=grc τῆλε, grc φωνή}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˌteːləˈfoːn/, /ˈteːləˌfoːn/^(Wiktionary)

+ * Dated: /ˌtɛləˈfoːn/^(Wiktionary)

+ * Regional, western Germany: /ˈtɛləˌfoːn/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Telefon''' ''n'' (genitive Telefons, plural Telefone)^(Wiktionary)

+ Until the end of the 1940s it was spelled ''Telephon''.^(Paul 2002)^(Wiktionary)

+ In the 19th century it was occasionally masculine.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a learned new formation from [[grc|τῆλε|tr=têle|t=far off]], through the combining form [[tele-]], and [[m|grc|φωνή|tr=phōnḗ|t=voice, sound]].^(Kluge 2011|912)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|854)^(Wahrig Herkunftswörterbuch) Paul's first record is from 1794;^(Paul 2002) Kluge dates its introduction to 1796, on the model of [[Telegraf|alt=Telegraph]].^(Kluge 2011|912) The same word is [[nl|telefoon]], [[en|telephone]], [[fr|téléphone]] and [[sv|telefon]].^(Kluge 2011|912)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ At the end of the 18th century the name was given to various mechanical devices for sending messages by sound.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002) The word passed in the second half of the 19th century to the electrical telephone;^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|854) Duden names the apparatus built by Philipp Reis in 1861 for transmitting the human voice along wires.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|854)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ [[telefonisch]] is recorded by Kaltschmidt in 1863 and [[telefonieren]] by Sanders in 1871, and Heyse's dictionary of 1873 defined the telephone as a device for carrying sounds by means of the electric current.^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993) The new means of communication soon entered literature: in Kafka's ''Das Schloß'' (1926) the telephone in taverns may be useful, “like a music machine, and no more”.^(Paul 2002) [[Fernsprecher]] was promoted as a native replacement.^(Kluge 2011|912)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1794 – First record.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1796 – Introduced on the model of ''Telegraph'', according to Kluge.^(Kluge 2011|912)

+ * 1861 – Philipp Reis builds his apparatus.^(Duden 7 2020|854)

+ * 1863 – ''telefonisch'' is recorded.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1871 – ''telefonieren'' is recorded.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1947 – Duden still writes ''Telephon''; the spelling with ⟨f⟩ prevails afterwards.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|telephone]]: an apparatus for making calls over a line or by radio: ''Das Telefon klingelt.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A telephone [[m|en|connection]], a line: ''Sie hat sich Telefon legen lassen.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # ''(rare)'' The [[m|en|handset]].^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[telefonieren]]

+ * [[telefonisch]]

+ * [[Telefonat]]

+ * [[Telefonbuch]]

+ * [[Mobiltelefon]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Telegraf]]

+ * [[Fernsprecher]]

+ * [[en|telephone]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Sich ans Telefon hängen'' (colloquial) is to get on the phone, to make calls.^(Duden GWDS 1999) The stress is usually on the last syllable, but an initial stress is also heard.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}