Politik German · revision 35198

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1656, Seckendorff|origins=grc πόλις}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /poliˈtiːk/, /poliˈtɪk/, [pɔl-]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Politik''' ''f'' (genitive Politik, plural Politiken)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fr|politique|t=science of government]], borrowed in the middle of the 17th century.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|639)^(Paul 2002)^(Wiktionary) The French word goes back to [[la-lat|polīticē|t=art of government]], from [[grc|πολιτική|tr=politikḗ]], short for [[m|grc|πολιτικὴ τέχνη|tr=politikḕ tékhnē|t=the art of state administration]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|639)^(Wahrig Herkunftswörterbuch) The Grimms' dictionary and Paul name instead the feminine [[la-med|politica]], from the Greek neuter plural [[m|grc|πολιτικά|tr=politiká|t=affairs of the state]].^(DWB|13, 1979)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ The Greek adjective [[m|grc|πολιτικός|tr=politikós|t=of the citizens, civic; of the state]] is derived from [[m|grc|πολίτης|tr=polítēs|t=citizen]], from [[m|grc|πόλις|tr=pólis|t=city, citadel, state]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|639) The adjective [[politisch]] came earlier, in the 16th century, from the same French word and Latin [[m|la|polīticus]].^(Kluge 2011|714)^(Pfeifer 1993) When the noun was borrowed it was stressed both on the last syllable, after French, and on the second.^(DWB|13, 1979)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Paul's first record is ''Politic'' in Seckendorff, 1656.^(Paul 2002) In the 17th century politics was a branch of practical philosophy, the knowledge and art of governing a state,^(Paul 2002)^(FWB) and German equivalents were tried: ''Welt-Kunst'' (Logau), ''Staats-Klugheit'' (Lohenstein), ''Regierungskunst'' (Leibniz).^(Paul 2002)^(DWB|13, 1979) Schupp held that no more perfect ''politic'' was to be found than the Bible, and others wrote of “the false politics of Machiavelli”.^(DWB|13, 1979)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 18th century the concept narrowed towards the art of power,^(Paul 2002) while ordinary speech used it for prudence in dealing with others, as Adelung noted in 1777;^(Paul 2002)^(Adelung 1793) the general sense “calculating, purposeful behaviour” is still current.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|639) Later the private side dropped out.^(Paul 2002) Clausewitz's dictum that war is nothing but the continuation of state policy by other means became famous, and Thomas Mann, in his ''Betrachtungen eines Unpolitischen'' (1918), declared that he did not want politics.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ The derivative [[Politiker]] appears in the 18th century, after Medieval Latin ''politicus'', and [[Politikerin]] in the first half of the 19th.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|639) English has borrowed [[Weltpolitik]] (1903) and the German compound [[Realpolitik]] has also passed into Hebrew.^(LWP)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 16th century – The adjective ''politisch'' is borrowed.^(Kluge 2011|714)

+ * 1656 – ''Politic'' in Seckendorff.^(Paul 2002)

+ * Mid-17th century – The noun is established, from French.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1777 – Adelung records the general sense “prudence in dealing with others”.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 18th century – ''Politiker'' “statesman” appears.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * First half of the 19th century – ''Politikerin'' appears.^(Duden 7 2020|639)

+ * 1903 – English borrows ''Weltpolitik''.^(LWP)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|politics]]: the action of governments, parliaments, parties and organisations aimed at achieving particular goals, especially in the state, and at shaping public life: ''die Politik der Landesregierung''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Duden Fremdwörterbuch 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A [[m|en|policy]]: the line of action followed by a government or organisation: ''eine Politik der Entspannung''.^(Wiktionary)^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # Tactical, purposeful, [[m|en|calculating]] behaviour.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Duden Fremdwörterbuch 2007)

+ # ''(informal, with the article)'' The politicians as a group: ''Die Politik hat versagt.''^(Wiktionary)^(Wiktionary DE)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Politiker]]

+ * [[Politikerin]]

+ * [[Politikbetrieb]]

+ * [[politikverdrossen]]

+ * [[Politikwissenschaft]]

+ * [[Realpolitik]]

+ * [[Weltpolitik]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Politikum]]

+ * [[politisch]]

+ * [[Polizei]]

+ * [[Metropole]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}