inspector

Forms

inspector m (plural inspectori, feminine equivalent inspectoare)^[1] Old forms: eșpector in a document of 1636 and ișpector in one of 1817, both published by Iorga.^[2] MDA2 also records a feminine inspectoare, an older masculine inspectore and the stress inspectór.^[3]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Russian инспектор (inspektor) according to DEX 2009 and the DA, which compare Latin inspector and French inspecteur.^[4][5] MDA2, Marcu and Maneca and Marcu give Latin and French as the sources, CADE French alone.^[3][6][7][8] Tiktin sees the New Latin word come in by several routes, and Wiktionary takes it from Latin, probably through French.^[2][1] Bulgarian инспектор (inspektor) came from Latin through Russian or German.^[9]

Earliest recorded meaning

Tiktin's first record is eșpector in a document of 1636 published by Iorga.^[2] MDA2 dates its first record to before 1737, from the same collection.^[3]

Semantic evolution

The DA quotes Stamati's gloss, an official who inspects public services such as customs and schools, and early uses from the Uricariul for boyar inspectors and an inspector of the militia;^[5] Negruzzi describes one who visits a public school and hospital.^[5] Scriban notes that it is the title of several officials who inspect schools, the army and other public services.^[10]

Timeline

• 1636 – eșpector in a document, the first record.^[2]
• before 1737 – inspector in a document published by Iorga.^[3]
• 1817 – ișpector in a document.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. An inspector: a person empowered to check the work of other people or of an institution.^[4][3]
2. The title of officials who inspect schools or public services: inspector școlar “school inspector”.^[5][10]

Related words

• inspecta
• inspecție

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ 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. inspector
3. ^ a b c d e Academia Română, Institutul de Lingvistică „Iorgu Iordan – Al. Rosetti” (2010), Micul dicționar academic, 2nd ed., 4 vols., București: Univers Enciclopedic Gold, p. 1, 1143
4. ^ a b DEX (2009), Dicționarul explicativ al limbii române [Explanatory dictionary of the Romanian language], Bucharest: Editura Univers Enciclopedic, p. 511
5. ^ a b c d Academia Română (1913–1949), Dicționarul limbii române (DA), ed. Sextil Pușcariu, tom I (A–B, C, D–De) and tom II (F–I, J–Lojniță), București: Socec / Universul / Monitorul Oficial și Imprimeriile Statului; page scans at cflr-scans.solirom.ro, p. s.v. inspector
6. ^ Marcu, Florin; Maneca, Constant (1986), Dicționar de neologisme, 3rd ed., București: Editura Academiei Republicii Socialiste România, p. s.v. inspector
7. ^ Marcu, Florin (2000), Marele dicționar de neologisme, București: Saeculum Vizual, p. s.v. inspector
8. ^ Candrea, I.-A.; Adamescu, Gh. (1926–1931), Dicționarul enciclopedic ilustrat „Cartea Românească”, București: Cartea Românească
9. ^ Georgiev, Vladimir I. et al. (eds.) (1971–), Bălgarski etimologičen rečnik, Sofija: Izdatelstvo na Bălgarskata akademija na naukite, p. 2, 81
10. ^ a b Scriban, August (1939), Dicționaru limbii românești (etimologii, înțelesuri, exemple, citațiuni, arhaizme, neologizme, provincializme), Iași: Presa Bună, p. 646