Auftrag German · revision 35655

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=back-formation|attested=1350–1377, Heinrich der Teichner|origins=gem-pro *draganą}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈʔaʊ̯ftʁaːk/, /ˈʔaʊ̯ftʁax/, /ˈʔaʊ̯ftʁaːx/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Auftrag''' ''m'' (genitive Auftrages or Auftrags, plural Aufträge)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a noun formed from the verb [[auftragen]] “to hand over, transfer”, later “to instruct, commission”, itself [[af|de|auf-|tragen]].^(Kluge 2011|73)^(Wiktionary DE) Kluge dates the noun in its modern sense to the 17th century, and Wiktionary DE traces the verb to Middle High German [[m|gmh|ūftragen|t=to commission]].^(Kluge 2011|73)^(Wiktionary DE)

+

+ [[tragen]] continues [[goh|tragan]] and [[gem-pro|*draganą|t=to draw, pull, carry]], as do [[got|𐌳𐍂𐌰𐌲𐌰𐌽|tr=dragan]] and [[osx|dragan]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Kroonen 2013) The sense of pulling survives in [[ang|dragan|t=to drag, draw]], [[non|draga|t=to draw]] and [[en|draw]], and Pfeifer takes “to drag along the ground” as the starting point, from which “to carry” developed.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Kroonen 2013) No cognate outside Germanic is certain: Pfeifer reckons with a root [[ine-pro|*dʰerāgʰ-|t=to draw, drag]], while Kroonen finds no clear etymology and rejects a link with [[la|trahō|t=to pull]] because of its initial /t/.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Kroonen 2013)^(Köbler AHD)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The oldest record, in Heinrich der Teichner (1350–1377), is an agent noun “bearer”: ''also ist got aller geschaft / ein sel und ein auf trag'' (“thus God is the soul and the bearer of all creation”).^(DWB2|3, 804) In the 16th century it meant the handing over of property, in a legal record of 1538.^(DWB2|3, 804)^(FWB)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense “task, instruction” appears in a letter of 1562, but the Revised Grimm dictionary finds the word in common use only from the end of the 18th century, in phrases such as ''einen Auftrag erteilen'' and the formula ''im Auftrag'' at the end of letters.^(DWB2|3, 804) Adelung records both the action of applying something, as of colours by painters, and a commissioned piece of business, and Goethe writes of the ''Auftrag der Farben'' in his writings on colour.^(Adelung 1793|1, 546)^(DWB|1, 761) The verb ''auftragen'' in the sense “to instruct” has since been largely replaced by [[beauftragen]].^(Kluge 2011|73) In commerce ''Auftrag'' is an order for goods or services, and in politics a mission.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1350–1377 – Heinrich der Teichner uses ''auf trag'' for a bearer.^(DWB2|3, 804)

+ * 1538 – ''Uftrag'' means the handing over of property in a legal record.^(DWB2|3, 804)

+ * 1562 – First record of the sense “instruction, commission”.^(DWB2|3, 804)

+ * 17th century – Kluge's date for the modern noun.^(Kluge 2011|73)

+ * 1773 – Christian Garve writes of errands he has been given (''ein paar Aufträge'').^(DWB2|3, 804)

+ * 1793 – Adelung records the senses “application of colours” and “commissioned business”.^(Adelung 1793|1, 546)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An [[m|en|instruction]] or [[m|en|assignment]], a task given to someone to carry out, also in the formula ''im Auftrag'' before a signature on behalf of someone else: ''Sie reiste im Auftrag ihres Verlags nach Wien.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An [[m|en|order]] for goods or a service: ''Die Werft hat einen Auftrag über drei Fähren erhalten.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A [[m|en|mission]] or obligation: ''der Auftrag der Schule''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # The application of a substance to a surface, as of paint.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Auftragsarbeit]]

+ * [[Auftragsbestätigung]]

+ * [[Auftragsmord]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[auftragen]]

+ * [[beauftragen]]

+ * [[tragen]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Etwas in Auftrag geben'' (commercial language) is to order something.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}