Enqueren

Enqueren is a verb that denotes the act of conducting a systematic inquiry or information-gathering process. It is used in some English-language texts to describe structured questioning, interviews, or surveys conducted for research, compliance, journalism, or internal auditing. The term is not widely used in contemporary English and is often regarded as archaic, regional, or a loan from other languages; more common equivalents include inquire, enquire, investigate, or survey.

Etymology and linguistic status: Enqueren appears to be related to the same semantic family as inquire/enquiry and traces its conceptual basis to older forms that connect to the Latin quaerere, meaning to seek. In French, enquérir means to inquire, and in Dutch there are closely related forms used in similar senses. In English, the form is rare and typically encountered in multilingual or historical texts, or in contexts that imitate its source language.

Usage and contexts: In practice, enqueren encompasses activities such as designing questions, conducting interviews, collecting responses, and analyzing findings to produce a formal report. It may be used in academic research, market research, or investigative journalism, although in many English contexts the more common verbs are inquire/enquire or investigate. When used, it signals a formal or methodical approach to information gathering.

Related terms and notes: Enqueren is distinct from casual questioning and should not be confused with ordinary asking or casual inquiry. Related terms include inquiry, enquiry, inquire, and the French verb enquérir. In English-language writing, speakers typically choose the more standard forms unless the text engages with multilingual or historical themes.