Geschäftsführer German · revision 35628

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=early 19th century, Campe}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ɡəˈʃɛft͡sˌfyːʁɐ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Geschäftsführer''' ''m'' (genitive Geschäftsführers, plural Geschäftsführer, feminine Geschäftsführerin)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a compound [[af|de|Geschäft|-s-|Führer|t1=business|t3=leader]].^(Wiktionary)^(Wiktionary DE) The first part is a noun formed from [[schaffen]] “to work”,^(Kluge 2011|352) and the second is the agent noun of [[führen]], [[gmh|vüeren]], [[goh|fuoren]], from [[gem-pro|*fōrijaną]], the causative of [[fahren]].^(Kluge 2011|322)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Campe's dictionary (1807–1811) records ''Geschäftsführer'' as one who conducts or manages business for others, an agent or factor, especially for a prince or a state.^(Campe 1807) Paul counts it among the many compounds of ''Geschäft'' of the 19th century that Campe lists, beside ''Geschäftsfreund'' and ''Geschäftszimmer''.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The Grimms' dictionary defines the word as one who conducts another's business, and notes that in commercial law it often stood for a ''Disponent'' or ''Prokurist''.^(DWB|5, 3826) Goethe used it for people charged with private or official affairs, such as those he left behind to look after his matters in Weimar.^(GWB) Today it chiefly means the manager of a company, especially of a [[GmbH]], and in politics a ''parlamentarischer Geschäftsführer'' is the member of a parliamentary group who handles its organisation and tactics.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Early 19th century – Campe records ''Geschäftsführer'' as an agent who manages business for others.^(Campe 1807)

+ * 1820 – Goethe writes of the ''Geschäftsführer'' he left in Weimar.^(GWB)

+ * 19th century – The Grimms' dictionary notes its use in commercial law.^(DWB|5, 3826)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|managing director]], the head of a business, especially of a limited company ([[GmbH]]): ''Die neue Geschäftsführerin stellte sich den Mitarbeitern vor.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A person charged with looking after the legal and business interests of someone else, an [[m|en|association]] or an organisation.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(politics)'' ''parlamentarischer Geschäftsführer'': the member of a parliamentary group in charge of its organisation and tactics.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Geschäftsführerin]]

+ * [[Geschäftsführung]]

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+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Geschäft]]

+ * [[Führer]]

+ * [[führen]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}