Theater German · revision 35507

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1531|origins=grc θέα}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /teˈaːtɐ/, /teˈʔaːtɐ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Theater''' ''n'' (genitive Theaters, plural Theater)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|theātrum|t=place for shows, theatre; the audience]], taken over in the early 16th century and at first inflected as Latin; the Germanized form appears in the middle of the 17th century, probably under the influence of [[fr|théâtre]], and prevailed in the 18th.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DFWB)^(Duden 7 2020) Kluge instead dates the word to the 17th century and derives it directly from the French word.^(Kluge 2011|915)

+

+ The Latin noun is from [[grc|θέατρον|tr=théatron|t=place for viewing, theatre]], from [[m|grc|θεάομαι|tr=theáomai|t=to look at, watch]], whose base is [[m|grc|θέα|tr=théā|t=a viewing, sight, spectacle]].^(Kluge 2011|915)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary) The same base appears in the Greek word for “spectator” behind [[Theorie]].^(Duden 7 2020)^(Kluge 2011|915)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record, of 1531, explains the Latin word: ''Theatrum was ein schawplatz gestaltet wie ein halber zirckel'' “a theatrum was a viewing place shaped like a half circle”.^(DFWB)^(Paul 2002) The first sense was a stage or arena for shows of every kind.^(DFWB)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From “stage” the word went on to the building for regular performances of plays and operas, the institution and its company, the performance itself and the art of the stage as a whole.^(DFWB)^(Paul 2002) It was often used figuratively for the scene of events, as in a text of 1617 calling war a ''Theatrum vn Schawplatz der Ehren'' “theatre and stage of honours”, and in ''theatrum mundi'' “the theatre of the world”.^(Paul 2002)^(DFWB)

+

+ In the 18th century Lessing made the theatre “the school of the moral world”, and the stage became bound up with the idea of a national culture, as in the call for a [[Nationaltheater]].^(Paul 2002) From the 1920s Brecht opposed his ''episches Theater'' to the Aristotelian kind.^(Paul 2002) Since the early 20th century the word is also used for a fuss or to-do.^(Pfeifer 1993) The adjective [[theatralisch]] (18th century) follows Latin ''theātrālis''.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020) Czech ''tyátr'' and Slovak ''teáter'' “theatre, comedy” were borrowed from German.^(LWP)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1531 – First record, in Latin form, of ''Theatrum''.^(DFWB)^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1617 – Figurative use for a scene of events.^(Paul 2002)

+ * Mid-17th century – The Germanized form ''Theater'' appears.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DFWB)

+ * 18th century – ''Theater'' prevails over ''Theatrum'';^(Pfeifer 1993) ''theatralisch'' is first recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1766 – A collection is titled ''Theater der Deutschen''.^(Paul 2002)

+ * Early 20th century – Colloquial sense “fuss, to-do”.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1920s – Brecht's ''episches Theater''.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|theatre]], a building for staging plays and operas.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The theatre as a cultural institution: ''zum Theater gehen'' “to become an actor”.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # A performance in the theatre: ''Nach dem Theater gingen wir essen.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The [[m|en|audience]] in a theatre.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A theatre [[m|en|company]].^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The dramatic art of a people or period: ''das antike Theater'', ''episches Theater''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(colloquial, derogatory)'' A [[m|en|fuss]], commotion;^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) ''Theater spielen'' “to put on an act”, ''jemandem Theater vormachen'' “to make a show for someone”.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[theatralisch]]

+ * [[Nationaltheater]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Theorie]]

+ * [[en|theatre]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}