Zitat

Zitat is a German noun meaning a quotation or a reproduced passage from someone else’s speech or writing. In scholarly, journalism, and literary contexts, a Zitat serves to reproduce exact wording or distinctive phrasing to support an argument, illustrate a point, or provide evidence. The two main forms are das wörtliche Zitat (direct quote) and das sinngemäße Zitat or indirektes Zitat (paraphrase).

Etymology and terminology: Zitat derives from the verb zitieren, to quote. The plural is Zitate. Related terms include Zitation (the act of citing) and Zitierweise or Zitierregeln (citation style and rules). The distinction between quoting literally and summarizing or paraphrasing is central to proper attribution and accuracy.

Typography and presentation: In German texts, direct quotes are typically enclosed by quotation marks: opening e.g. „ and closing ” (the standard pairing is the low-opening and high-closing mark). For longer quotations, a blockzitat (block quote) is commonly used, often set off from the main text by indentation and without quotation marks. Nested quotes follow the convention of using secondary quotation marks within the primary quote.

Usage and citation practices: Quotes should be accompanied by a source citation in accordance with the chosen Zitierweise (for example APA, MLA, or Chicago). Special cases include Zitat im Zitat (a quote within a quote) and Sekundärzitat (a secondary quotation from a source quoted by another author), which require specific handling to preserve accuracy and attribution.

In everyday language, a Zitat may refer to any notable remark attributed to a person, but in formal writing it always requires precise wording and proper sourcing to maintain intellectual honesty.