dezernieren

Dezernieren is a German verb used primarily in administrative language. It denotes the act of assigning a matter, file, or responsibility to a specific department or office within a municipal, state, or federal administration (a Dezernat).

Origin and form: The verb is derived from the noun Dezernat, meaning a department or division, with the standard -ieren suffix that forms verbs from nouns. It is a transitive verb and is typically used with a matter or file and with a dative or prepositional indication of the Dezernat, for example dem Dezernat X or an das Dezernat X.

Usage: The term occurs mainly in internal documents, minutes, and official job descriptions. It is similar in meaning to zuweisen (to assign) or übertragen (to transfer), but it emphasizes a formal allocation of responsibility to a specific department and subsequent handling by that Dezernat. Because it is specialized, it is more common in governmental or administrative contexts than in everyday speech.

Examples:

- Der Antrag wurde dem Dezernat Finanzen zur Prüfung dezerniert.

- Die Angelegenheit soll dem Dezernat Umwelt dezerniert werden.

Notes: In everyday language, speakers may prefer phrases such as etwas einem Dezernat zuweisen oder an das Dezernat weiterleiten. Dezernieren remains a characteristic term of bureaucratic language and is primarily encountered in German-speaking administrations.

See also: Dezernat, Dezernent.

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