angajament

Forms

angajament n (plural angajamente)^[1] An old and rare variant angajamânt (plural angajamânturi) is recorded.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is borrowed from French engagement.^{[2][4][3][5][1]} The DLRM says it was formed after the French word, and by surface analysis it is the verb angaja with the suffix -ment.^[6][1] The French noun is formed from engager (“to commit”) with -ment.^[1] DELR explains that the French verb first meant “to give a pledge”, whence “to take on an obligation”, and comes from gage (“pledge”), from Frankish *waddi.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Both DELR and Tiktin date the first record to 1854;^[2][5] DELR gives the senses “obligation taken on one's own initiative” and, now obsolete, “contract setting the conditions of employment”.^[2][5] The verb angaja is older, recorded from 1801.^[2]

Semantic evolution

Tiktin glosses the word as a service contract and as an obligation, with the phrase a(-și) lua un angajament “to commit oneself”.^[5] CADE quotes Ion Ghica for the sense of a promise or pledge.^[7] Scriban adds voluntary enlistment in the army and a skirmish, as in angajament de cavalerie.^[8] In economics an angajament de plată is a written undertaking of a firm to a bank on the use and repayment of a loan.^[9] In sport the word names the putting of the puck or ball into play in hockey and basketball.^[4][9]

Timeline

• 1801 – the verb angaja.^[2]
• 1854 – angajament, the first record.^[2][5]
• 1875 – angajat “employee”.^[2]
• 1928 – angajant “enticing” in Arghezi.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. A commitment or promise to do something: Și-a luat angajamentul să termine lucrarea până vineri.^[4][3][1]
2. The hiring of someone for a job;^[4] (concrete) the contract by which a person puts their services at the disposal of another person or an institution.^[4]
3. (sports) The putting of the puck or ball into play in hockey or basketball; a faceoff.^[4][3]

Related words

• angaja
• angajat
• French engagement

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Academia Română, Institutul de Lingvistică „Iorgu Iordan – Al. Rosetti” (2011–), Dicționarul etimologic al limbii române (DELR), vol. I: A–B (2011), vol. II: C (2015–2018), București: Editura Academiei Române; continued online at delr.lingv.ro, p. s.v. angaja
3. ^ a b c d Academia Română, Institutul de Lingvistică „Iorgu Iordan – Al. Rosetti” (2010), Micul dicționar academic, 2nd ed., 4 vols., București: Univers Enciclopedic Gold, p. 1, 64
4. ^ a b c d e f DEX (2009), Dicționarul explicativ al limbii române [Explanatory dictionary of the Romanian language], Bucharest: Editura Univers Enciclopedic, p. 42
5. ^ a b c d e Tiktin, Hariton (2000–2005), Rumänisch-deutsches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., revised by Paul Miron and Elsa Lüder, 3 vols., Cluj-Napoca: Clusium, p. s.v. angajament
6. ^ Academia Republicii Populare Romîne (1958), Dicționarul limbii romîne moderne, București: Editura Academiei Republicii Populare Romîne, p. 30
7. ^ Candrea, I.-A.; Adamescu, Gh. (1926–1931), Dicționarul enciclopedic ilustrat „Cartea Românească”, București: Cartea Românească, p. s.v. angajament
8. ^ Scriban, August (1939), Dicționaru limbii românești (etimologii, înțelesuri, exemple, citațiuni, arhaizme, neologizme, provincializme), Iași: Presa Bună, p. 102
9. ^ a b Marcu, Florin; Maneca, Constant (1986), Dicționar de neologisme, 3rd ed., București: Editura Academiei Republicii Socialiste România