gewörtlich

Gewörtlich is a German adverb and adjective meaning verbatim or word-for-word, i.e., in the exact words used. It is a synonym of wortwörtlich, but gewörtlich is much less common in contemporary everyday language. When present, it usually serves to emphasize strict fidelity to the original wording, as in quotes or cited passages.

In modern standard German, wortwörtlich or wörtlich is preferred. Gewörtlich tends to occur in older texts, in certain literary or rhetorical styles, or in regional or historical usage. It may appear in biblical or scholarly translations where the author wants to stress exact reproduction of the source text. For example: Der Bericht gab seine Aussage gewörtlich wieder.

Etymology and status: Gewörtlich is formed with the familiar noun WORT and the adjective suffix -lich, with the prefix ge- used in older German adjective formation. Today, many dictionaries classify gewörtlich as archaic, literary, or regional, and consider wortwörtlich the standard form for meaning “verbatim.”

See also: wörtlich, wortwörtlich, wortgetreu, verbiage, verbatim. The choice among these terms depends on register and emphasis: wörtlich or wortwörtlich for literal wording; wortgetreu for fidelity to content rather than exact wording; verbatim as the direct loanword used in international or formal contexts.