System German · revision 35358

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1548|origins=grc ἵστημι}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /zɪsˈteːm/, /zʏsˈteːm/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''System''' ''n'' (genitive Systemes or Systems, plural Systeme)^(Wiktionary)

+ The first records have the plural ''Sistemata'' (mid-16th century), and a singular dative ''Systemate'', formed from the plural, appears in the first half of the 18th century.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)

+ The Latin form ''systema'' was usual until about the middle of the 18th century, and ''System'' prevailed after 1750.^(DWB|20, 1433)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|systēma]], [[der|grc|σύστημα|tr=sústēma|t=a whole made up of parts]], from [[grc|συνίστημι|tr=sunístēmi|t=to put together]], a compound of [[grc|σύν|tr=sún|t=together]] and [[grc|ἵστημι|tr=hístēmi|t=to set, place]].^(Kluge 2011|902)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|844)^(Wahrig Herkunftswörterbuch) The Greek verb belongs to the same root as [[stehen]].^(Duden 7 2020|844) The same borrowing is [[nl|systeem]], [[en|system]] and [[fr|système]].^(Kluge 2011|902)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The Deutsches Fremdwörterbuch and Paul date the first record to 1548, in the plural.^(DFWB)^(Paul 2002) According to Pfeifer it was first used of the order of the heavenly bodies, the structure of the universe.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the middle of the 18th century it was applied to the parts of the human body that work together (''Nervensystem'') and to the institutions of state and society.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002) In philosophy and science it meant an ordered body of doctrine from the first half of the 17th century, and in the second half of the 18th century it came to mean, more loosely, a plan or method.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002) The 19th century applied it to technology and transport (''Eisenbahnsystem''), and linguists used it from 1891.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ Adelung explains it as a connection of things of one kind and the order in which they are linked, citing the Ptolemaic and Copernican systems.^(Adelung 1793) National Socialist usage made ''das System'' a contemptuous name for the Weimar Republic.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1548 – First record, in the plural ''sistemata''.^(DFWB)^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1709 – The sense “body of doctrine” in a quotation about ranking the theorems of a science.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1749 – ''Die gantze Welt ist ein System'' (Meier).^(Paul 2002)

+ * After 1750 – The form ''System'' replaces ''Systema''.^(DWB|20, 1433)

+ * 1891 – First record of the linguistic sense.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1932 – ''Das System'' is used of the Weimar Republic.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A scientific scheme; a body of [[m|en|doctrine]]: ''ein philosophisches System''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Duden Fremdwörterbuch 2007)

+ # A [[m|en|principle]] of order or arrangement, a method: ''Sie sortiert ihre Bücher nach einem eigenen System.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) ''Dahinter steckt System'' means that there is a deliberate plan behind it.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # A form of political, economic or social organization; a [[m|en|regime]]: ''ein parlamentarisches System''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Duden Fremdwörterbuch 2007)

+ # ''(natural sciences)'' A whole of interacting objects: ''ein ökologisches System''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # A unit of technical installations or components with a common function: ''ein System von Rohren''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(linguistics, logic)'' A set of elements or signs with fixed relations or rules; also a set of lines for recording something: ''ein System von Koordinaten''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(biology)'' A [[m|en|classification]] of plants or animals by their relationship;^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) ''(geology)'' a [[m|en|period]].^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[systematisch]]

+ * [[Systematik]]

+ * [[systematisieren]]

+ * [[Sonnensystem]]

+ * [[Nervensystem]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en|system]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}