Untersuchung German · revision 36280

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=15th century|origins=gmw-pro *undersōkijan}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ʊntɐˈzuːxʊŋ/, [ʔʊntɐˈzuːxʊŋ]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Untersuchung''' ''f'' (genitive Untersuchung, plural Untersuchungen)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|undersuochunge]], formed [[af|de|untersuchen|-ung]] at the end of the Middle High German period.^(DWB|24, 1855)^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary) The verb, like the noun, is first recorded in the 15th century.^(Paul 2002)^(Wiktionary) Wiktionary assumes an older unattested form and compares [[osx|undarsōkian]], [[odt|undersuoken]] and [[ang|undersēcan]], all from [[gmw-pro|*undersōkijan|t=to search under or between]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ [[suchen]] is [[goh|suohhen]], from [[gem-pro|*sōkijaną|t=to seek]], the same word as [[got|𐍃𐍉𐌺𐌾𐌰𐌽|tr=sōkjan]], [[non|sœkja]], [[ang|sēcan]] and [[en|seek]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Kroonen 2013)^(Wiktionary) Pfeifer and Kroonen relate it by ablaut to the strong verb [[goh|sahhan|t=to quarrel, go to law]], the source of [[Sache]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Kroonen 2013) Kroonen reconstructs [[ine-pro|*seh₂g-|t=to seek, track]], with Latin and Greek cognates.^(Kroonen 2013)^(Köbler AHD)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Late Middle High German ''undersuochunge'' glosses the Latin words ''scrutinium'' and ''indagatio'', a searching or tracking down.^(DWB|24, 1855)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The oldest use of the verb was concrete: to search a basket or the soil, though the sense of ''unter'' was no longer felt.^(Paul 2002) From the 17th century it meant to study and examine something scientifically, and soon also medically and in law; the noun followed the same course.^(Paul 2002) The Grimms' dictionary has examples from the sounding of the sea with a lead to Kant and Bismarck.^(DWB|24, 1855)

+

+ The same formation is [[nl|onderzoeking]], [[da|undersøgelse]] and [[sv|undersökning]].^(DWB|24, 1855)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 15th century – ''untersuchen'' and ''Untersuchung'' are first recorded, with concrete senses.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 17th century – The scientific, medical and legal senses appear.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1724 – Neukirch writes of a ''gründliche Untersuchung'' in a manual of poetry.^(DWB|24, 1855)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A careful [[m|en|examination]] of something to find out its nature or condition, and a scientific study of it, also the written work: ''eine Untersuchung des Grundwassers''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A medical examination: ''Die Untersuchung beim Hausarzt dauerte nicht lange.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # An official [[m|en|investigation]] of a case by the police or a court.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Untersuchungshaft]]

+ * [[Voruntersuchung]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[untersuchen]]

+ * [[suchen]]

+ * [[Suche]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Swiss German prefers the shorter ''Untersuch'', and in Swabian ''Untersuchung'' was not a popular word.^(DWB|24, 1855)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}