Leitung German · revision 35460

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=before 1350, Tauler|origins=gem-pro *laidijaną}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * [ˈlaɪ̯tʊŋ]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Leitung''' ''f'' (genitive Leitung, plural Leitungen)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|de|leiten|-ung]], already Middle High German as [[m|gmh|leitunge|t=leading, guidance]].^(Wiktionary)^(Köbler MHD)^(Kluge 2011|571) The verb is [[gmh|leiten]], [[goh|leiten]], from [[gem-pro|*laidijaną|t=to lead]], properly “to make go”, the causative of the verb continued by [[leiden]] (originally “to go”).^(Kluge 2011|571)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Köbler AHD) The same verb is [[osx|lēdian]], [[ang|lǣdan]], [[non|leiða]], [[nl|leiden]] and [[en|lead]], and the English noun [[m|en|leading]] matches the German one.^(Kluge 2011|571)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Middle High German ''leitunge'' “guidance, direction” is recorded in Tauler, before 1350.^(Köbler MHD)^(BMZ|1, 976b) Pfeifer dates ''Leitung'' to the 16th century, with the senses “leading, guiding”, “the persons in charge” and “a device for conveying something, especially pipes”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary DE)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Sixteenth-century dictionaries give it for directing and governing as well as for the conveying of water, and the Grimms record the extension to the pipes themselves, as in [[Gasleitung]] and [[Wasserleitung]].^(DWB|12, 741)^(Pfeifer 1993) Mining and clockmaking used it for devices that guide a moving part.^(DWB|12, 741) In the 19th century it was applied to wires and cables carrying electric current and signals,^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary DE) and so to the telephone line.^(Duden GWDS 1999) The colloquial ''eine lange Leitung haben'' “to be slow on the uptake” goes back to the early days of telecommunication, when long lines made the connection slow.^(Duden GWDS 1999) Upper Silesian Polish borrowed the word as ''lajtong''.^(LWP)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1350 – Middle High German ''leitunge'' is used by Tauler.^(Köbler MHD)

+ * 16th century – ''Leitung'' means leading and management, and a conduit for water.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ * 19th century – The word is applied to electric wires and cables.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary DE)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(no plural)'' [[m|en|management|alt=Management]], direction, the act or office of leading: ''Die Leitung des Chors liegt bei Frau Berger.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The persons in charge, the management team: ''Die Leitung hat neue Regeln beschlossen.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(no plural)'' Guidance, supervision of a person.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # A [[m|en|pipe]] or system of pipes for water, gas or other substances: ''Im Winter ist die Leitung eingefroren.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An electric [[m|en|cable]] or [[m|en|wire]]: ''Über dem Feld hängt eine Leitung.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A telephone line: ''Ich bekomme keine freie Leitung.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(physics)'' [[m|en|conduction]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Wasserleitung]]

+ * [[Gasleitung]]

+ * [[Rohrleitung]]

+ * [[Leitungswasser]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[leiten]]

+ * [[Leiter]]

+ * [[Geleit]]

+ * [[Anleitung]]

+ * [[Einleitung]]

+ * [[leiden]]

+ * [[Lotse]]

+ * [[en|lead]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Eine lange Leitung haben'' or ''auf der Leitung stehen'' (“to stand on the line”) is said of someone who is slow to understand.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}