positiv German · revision 35278

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1652, as the adverb positive|origins=la pōnō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈpoːziˌtiːf/, /ˈpɔzɪˌtiːf/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''positiv''' (strong nominative masculine singular positiver, comparative positiver, superlative am positivsten)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la-lat|positīvus|t=set, given]] (adverb [[m|la-lat|positīvē]]), probably under the influence of [[fr|positif]];^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2014|649) Kluge derives it directly from the French word, itself from Latin.^(Kluge 2011|717) The Latin adjective is formed from [[m|la|pōnō|t=to set, put, place]], past participle [[m|la|positus]].^(Kluge 2011|717)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wahrig Herkunftswörterbuch) The same borrowing is [[nl|positief]], [[en|positive]], [[sv|positiv]] and [[is|pósitífur]].^(Kluge 2011|717) The Latin verb is also the source of [[Position]] and [[komponieren]].^(Kluge 2011|717)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The word appears first in the Latin adverbial form ''positive'', “definitely, expressly”: a text of 1652 says that the envoy of the States refused to answer ''positivè''.^(DFWB)^(Paul 2002) The German adjective follows around 1700, first in mathematics in the sense “greater than zero”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Mostly as the opposite of [[negativ]], the adjective developed a range of technical senses: in philosophy “actual, given” (18th century, ''positive Wissenschaft'' 1802, ''positives Recht'' “law laid down”, as against natural law), in physics of electric charge, and in medicine, from the 20th century, of a test result confirming what was suspected.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002) In general use it meant “definite, certain” and “affirmative”, then “favourable” and “good” (''positive Leistungen'', 1912).^(Paul 2002)^(Duden 7 2014|649) DFWB notes that in the middle of the 19th century it became a fashionable catch-all word.^(DFWB)

+

+ The noun ''Positiv'' has three uses.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(DFWB) As a term of grammar for the uncompared form of the adjective it goes back to Late Latin ''gradus positivus'', used in Latin form by Niclas von Wyle in 1478 and in German as ''Der Positif'' in 1749.^(DFWB)^(Paul 2002) The neuter ''Positiv'', a small organ, comes from Medieval Latin ''positivum (organum)'' and is found in glossaries of the 15th and 16th centuries and in texts until the late 18th.^(DFWB)^(DWB|13, 2012) The photographic ''Positiv'' dates from the end of the 19th century and was probably formed after ''Negativ''.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002) ''Positivismus'' (about 1830) is from French ''positivisme'', the philosophy of Auguste Comte.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1478 – Niclas von Wyle uses the Latin grammatical term ''positivus''.^(DFWB)

+ * 1571 – Simon Roth's dictionary explains ''Positiff'' as a portable organ.^(Paul 2002)^(DWB|13, 2012)

+ * 1652 – First record of the adverb ''positive''.^(DFWB)^(Paul 2002)

+ * About 1700 – ''positiv'' as a term of mathematics, “greater than zero”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1749 – ''Der Positif'' as a German grammatical term.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1802 – ''positive Wissenschaft'' is recorded.^(Paul 2002)

+ * About 1830 – ''Positivismus'' is borrowed from French.^(Paul 2002)

+ * Late 19th century – the photographic ''Positiv''.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)

+ * 20th century – the medical sense “confirming a suspected condition”.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Expressing agreement or approval; [[m|en|affirmative]]: ''Auf unseren Vorschlag kam eine positive Antwort.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # [[m|en|favourable|alt=Favourable]], advantageous: ''Der Umbau hatte positive Folgen für alle.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # Good, rated highly: ''positive Charakterzüge''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(mathematics)'' Greater than zero: ''eine positive Zahl''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(physics)'' Having the [[m|en|charge]] opposite to that of the electron: ''der positive Pol''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(photography)'' Showing light and dark, or the colours, as in the original.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(medicine)'' Confirming that a suspected condition is present: ''Der Test fiel positiv aus.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(formal)'' Actually given, [[m|en|concrete]]: ''positives Recht'', law laid down, as against natural law.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' Certain, sure.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Positiv]]

+ * [[Positivismus]]

+ * [[Positivist]]

+ * [[Diapositiv]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[negativ]]

+ * [[Position]]

+ * [[en|positive]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}