Technik German · revision 36073

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1724, in the compound Hydrotechnica|origins=grc τέχνη}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈtɛçnɪk/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Technik''' ''f'' (genitive Technik, plural Techniken)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la-new|technica|t=art; instructions for practising an art]], a learned formation on [[m|la-new|technicus|t=belonging to an art, expert]], from [[grc|τεχνικός|tr=tekhnikós|t=artful, skilled, expert]], from [[m|grc|τέχνη|tr=tékhnē|t=craft, art, skill, science]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|852)^(DFWB) Kluge calls the source Medieval Latin.^(Kluge 2011|910) The Grimms' dictionary took it from [[fr|technique]].^(DWB|21, 230) The word was first used only in the compound [[Hydrotechnik]] “hydraulic engineering” and became a word on its own in the later 18th century.^(Kluge 2011|910)^(DFWB)^(Paul 2002) The same word is [[nl|techniek]], [[sv|teknik]] and [[is|tækni]].^(Kluge 2011|910)

+

+ The Greek noun goes back to a form with /ks/ and belongs with [[m|grc|τέκτων|tr=téktōn|t=carpenter, builder]], [[sa|तक्षन्|tr=tákṣan|t=carpenter]] and [[la|texō|t=to weave, build]], and among Germanic words with [[goh|dehsa|t=axe]], the source of dialect [[Dechsel]] “adze”.^(Duden 7 2020|852)^(Kluge 2011|910)^(EWA)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is ''Hydrotechnica oder Wasser-Bau-Kunst'' (1724), the title of a volume on hydraulic machines;^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DFWB)^(Paul 2002) ''Technica'' alone appears in 1744 and ''Technik'' in Kant in 1781.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DFWB)^(Paul 2002) At first it meant the rules of an art or science and instructions for practising it: Kant called general logic a ''Technik der Gelehrsamkeit'' “technique of learning” (1800).^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the early industrial age the word came to mean a method of working, a way of handling, and the whole set of skills and rules of an art;^(Paul 2002)^(DWB|21, 230) Goethe used it of the craft of engraving and of poetry.^(Paul 2002)^(DWB|21, 230) From the 19th century it meant the methods of production as a whole and the application of the natural sciences: a writer of 1909 speaks of ''ein Jahrhundert der Technik, der Elektrizität, des Dampfes, der Maschine''.^(Paul 2002) Later senses are a firm's technical equipment, the technical make-up of a machine, and the technical staff of a company.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE) In Austria ''Technik'' is also short for a technical university.^(Duden GWDS 1999) The Latin form ''technicus'' preceded the adjective [[technisch]] (first half of the 18th century), and [[Techniker]] replaced ''Technicus'' in the second half of that century.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|852) Hungarian took ''technika'' from German in 1812.^(LWP)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Mid-17th century – The Latin adjective ''technicus'' is used in German texts.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1724 – ''Hydrotechnica'' “hydraulic engineering”.^(DFWB)^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1744 – ''Technica'' used on its own.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1781 – Kant writes ''Technik''.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1812 – Hungarian ''technika'' is recorded, from German.^(LWP)

+ * 19th century – “Engineering, the methods of industrial production”.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|technology]]; all the means and methods that put the findings of the natural sciences to practical use: ''die moderne Technik''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A [[m|en|technique]], a particular method of doing something: ''Der Geiger beherrscht eine saubere Technik.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Technical equipment for production: ''eine Fabrik mit modernster Technik''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # The technical design of a device or machine.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # The technical staff of a company.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # ''(Austria)'' A technical university.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Techniker]]

+ * [[technisch]]

+ * [[technisieren]]

+ * [[Hydrotechnik]]

+ * [[Medizintechnik]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Technologie]]

+ * [[Architekt]]

+ * [[Text]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}