Diktate

Diktat is a German noun with two main senses: a dictation exercise and a decree or edict. It derives from the Latin dictatus, the past participle of dicere “to say.”

In language education, a Diktat refers to an exercise where a teacher reads a text aloud and students write it down as accurately as possible. The focus is on spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and listening skills. Diktate can function as practice or as a formal assessment, and they may vary in length and difficulty. After the dictation, corrections and explanations help learners understand errors and improve orthography.

In political and historical contexts, Diktat denotes an imposed agreement, treaty, or decision accepted under pressure and without meaningful negotiation. The term often carries negative connotations and is used in critique or historiography to describe one-sided settlements. Its use depends on perspective and context, and it is sometimes employed polemically.

Cross-linguistically, similar terms exist in Scandinavian languages, where diktat can mean dictation, while in English the related terms are dictation (the exercise) or decree/edict when referring to an imposed order. The plural Diktate can refer to multiple dictations or edicts, depending on the sense.

See also: Dictation; Edict; Decree; Orthography test.