direkt German · revision 35237

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1481|origins=la regō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /diˈʁɛkt/, /ˈdɪʁɛkt/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''direkt''' (strong nominative masculine singular direkter, comparative direkter, superlative am direktesten)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|dīrēctus|t=straightened, directed]], borrowed in the late 15th century,^(Kluge 2011|203)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DFWB) the past participle of [[m|la|dīrigō|t=to set straight, direct]], from [[m|la|dis-]] and [[m|la|regō|t=to guide, rule]].^(Kluge 2011|203)^(Duden 7 2020|205) Wahrig takes it through [[fr|direct]],^(Wahrig Herkunftswörterbuch) and the French form was in use early on as well.^(DFWB) At first it was used only as an adverb, in the Latin form [[m|la|dīrēctē]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DFWB)^(DWB2|6, 1116) The same Latin word is behind [[nl|direct]] and [[en|direct]].^(Kluge 2011|203)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is a vocabulary of 1481, which glosses ''directe'' as ''strackß'' “straight away”.^(DFWB) In 1497 a legal text uses it of a direct heir: ''keyner directe, das ist schlechts erbe gesetzt werden mag''.^(DFWB)^(DWB2|6, 1116) The early sense was spatial, “without detour, in a straight line”.^(DFWB)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the late 16th century it took on the sense that dominates today, “immediate, without anything in between”, also “in person”.^(DFWB) It was used attributively from the end of the 17th century (Paul gives 1696),^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002) the adverb took the German form ''direct'' or ''direkt'' in the mid-18th century, and predicative use appeared only in the 20th century.^(DWB2|6, 1116) In transport it came to mean “without a stop”, as in ''Direktflug''.^(DFWB) In the 19th century the adverb also developed the sense “downright, really” (''direkt unheimlich'').^(Paul 2002)

+

+ The opposite [[indirekt]] was used in its Medieval Latin form from the 16th century (Paul gives 1536), was Germanized in the 18th, and gave grammar terms such as ''indirekte Rede'' “reported speech”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1481 – ''directe'' is glossed in a vocabulary.^(DFWB)

+ * 1497 – A legal text uses ''directe'' of an heir.^(DWB2|6, 1116)

+ * 1536 – ''indirekt'' appears as an adverb.^(Paul 2002)

+ * Late 16th century – The sense “without intermediary” appears.^(DFWB)

+ * 1696 – First attributive use.^(Paul 2002)

+ * Mid-18th century – The adverb takes the German form ''direct''.^(DWB2|6, 1116)

+ * 19th century – The adverb “downright, really” appears.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Straight, without a [[m|en|detour]], going straight to a destination: a direct train connection to Vienna.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Immediate, without delay: ''Er kam direkt nach der Arbeit.''; a match broadcast [[m|en|live]].^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(with prepositions)'' Right by, immediately next to: ''direkt neben der Kirche''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # Without an intermediary, [[m|en|immediate]]: one's direct superior, buying straight from the farmer.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Duden Fremdwörterbuch 2007)

+ # Frank, [[m|en|candid]], forthright (of a person or a remark).^(Wiktionary)^(Duden Fremdwörterbuch 2007)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # ''(colloquial)'' Downright, really: ''Das war direkt peinlich.''^(Paul 2002)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[indirekt]]

+ * [[Direktheit]]

+ * [[Direktflug]]

+ * [[Direktverbindung]]

+ * [[Direktübertragung]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Direktor]]

+ * [[dirigieren]]

+ * [[regieren]]

+ * [[en|direct]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}