Aktion German · revision 35352

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1474|origins=la agō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /akˈtsi̯oːn/, [ʔakˈt͡sjoːn]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Aktion''' ''f'' (genitive Aktion, plural Aktionen, diminutive Aktiönchen n)^(Wiktionary)

+ Early forms include ''Aczion'' and the Latin inflected forms;^(DFWB)^(DWB2|2, 154) ''Action'' was written until the early 20th century, ''Aktion'' from the 17th.^(DFWB)^(DWB2|2, 154)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|āctiō|t=movement, action, deed; lawsuit, legal claim]], the abstract noun of [[m|la|agō|t=to drive, do, act]], borrowed in the later 15th century.^(Kluge 2011|26)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DFWB) The legal sense “action at law, claim” came first and the general sense “action, activity” only in the 16th century.^(Kluge 2011|26)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ [[Aktie]], a share, is the same Latin word, borrowed through [[nl|actie|t=claim]], and the older form survives in [[Aktionär]], shareholder.^(Kluge 2011|26) [[Action]], from the corresponding [[en|action]], was taken over with its English pronunciation in the second half of the 20th century.^(Duden 7 2020) The Latin word also gave [[fr|action]] and [[sv|aktion]].^(Kluge 2011|26)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first German record, of 1474, is legal: a party ''sein action vnd klag auf entwerung gesetzt'' (“brought his action and complaint for dispossession”).^(DFWB)^(DWB2|2, 154) The sense “lawsuit, legal claim” remained in use until the end of the 18th century;^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002) Paul still finds it in Wieland.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense “(joint) undertaking, action” appears from 1525 in Zwingli.^(Paul 2002) From the end of the 17th century the phrases ''in Aktion sein'' “to be active” and ''in Aktion treten'' “to come into action” are current.^(Paul 2002)^(DFWB) In the theatre ''Aktion'' meant acting or a performance, and around 1700 a troupe of players advertised ''haupt- und staatsactionen'';^(Paul 2002) ''Haupt- und Staatsaktion'' became a mocking name for pompous historical plays and later for any fuss made over a trifle.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ Under National Socialism ''Aktion'' was a euphemism for confiscations, deportations and pogroms.^(Paul 2002) From the end of the 19th century it formed many political compounds, such as ''Aktionskomitee'' and ''Protestaktion'';^(Paul 2002)^(DFWB) ''Aktionsradius'' arose around 1900 in technical use, ''Aktionskunst'' around 1960 after English “action painting”, and ''blinder Aktionismus'' became a political reproach about 1970.^(Paul 2002)^(DFWB) The economics minister Karl Schiller coined ''konzertierte Aktion'' in 1967 for agreed joint action by government and the social partners.^(Duden GWDS 1999) French borrowed ''action'' from German in the mid-20th century for supermarket special offers.^(LWP)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1474 – First record, in the legal sense “action, claim”.^(DFWB)^(DWB2|2, 154)

+ * 1525 – Zwingli uses it for “undertaking, action”.^(Paul 2002)

+ * c. 1700 – ''Haupt- und Staatsaktion'' appears in a players' advertisement.^(Paul 2002)

+ * Late 17th century – ''in Aktion treten'' and ''in Aktion sein'' become current.^(DFWB)

+ * c. 1900 – ''Aktionsradius'' arises in technical use.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1967 – Karl Schiller coins ''konzertierte Aktion''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ * c. 1970 – ''blinder Aktionismus'' becomes a political reproach.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A planned, usually joint undertaking or measure; a [[m|en|campaign]]: ''eine Aktion gegen Lebensmittelverschwendung starten''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|action]], activity;^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(DFWB) ''in Aktion'' means in operation: ''die neue Maschine in Aktion sehen''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(DFWB)

+ # An act or deed, often unusual or questionable: ''was war denn das für eine Aktion?''^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(riding)'' The characteristic leg movement of a horse, its [[m|en|gait]].^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(physics)'' Action, effect.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # ''(Switzerland)'' A [[m|en|special offer]] or sale in a shop.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Aktionsradius]]

+ * [[Aktionsart]]

+ * [[Aktionismus]]

+ * [[Aktionstag]]

+ * [[Staatsaktion]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Aktie]]

+ * [[Aktionär]]

+ * [[Action]]

+ * [[agieren]]

+ * [[Akt]]

+ * [[Reaktion]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}