Teilstück

Teilstück is a German noun formed from Teil (part) and Stück (piece, work, or play). It denotes a subdivision or component of a larger work and is used in contexts where a work is presented or published in parts rather than as a single unit.

Usage and contexts

In theatre and drama, Teilstück can refer to a segment of a longer play, especially when a work was issued or staged in several parts, or when criticism discusses the work as a multi-part unit. In literature and publishing, the term may describe an installment or excerpt published separately from a longer manuscript or book. In music or performance art, it can indicate a section or discrete unit within a larger cycle or composition that is intended to be presented or studied on its own.

Characteristics and nuances

The exact meaning of Teilstück depends on context; it is more common in scholarly, cataloging, or programmatic language than in everyday speech. It often implies a planned multi-part structure rather than an isolated complete work. Depending on usage, a Teilstück may be capable of standing alone to some degree, or it may be understood primarily as part of a bigger whole. Related terms include Auszug (excerpt), Teil (part), and Fragment (fragment).

See also

Teil, Stück, Auszug, Fragment.