Dictionary noun *werg- wirken Werk
(noun)

Meanings

1.
the factory
((the more "clean" sounding alternative to "die Fabrik"))
How useful:
2.
the work, the creation
(In the sense of finished piece of work, not the act of working. Sounds fancy. )
How useful:

Examples

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My Articles

Word of the Day - "wirken"

A fun look at the meaning of "wirken" and its related words. We'll learn about the difference to "scheinen" and what work has to do with reality :)

Vocab:

wirken, die Wirkung, wirklich, bewirken, die Wirklichkeit


False Friends Explained - "Fabrik vs. fabric"

A fun look at why fabric and die Fabrik are false friends and how to translate them. We'll also talk about der Stoff, and learn some word history.

Vocab:

die Fabrik, der Stoff, Sauerstoff, Wasserstoff, Rohstoff, Ballaststoff


Word of the Day - "die Arbeit"

Vocab:

die Arbeit, arbeiten, erben, das Erbe, Roboter


Word Family

Root: *werg-

The core idea of this root was:

doing

It’s of course the origin of English work, and also wright, but the far bigger and more surprising  branch is actually the one around the old Greek “ergon“, which meant something work, business, action, and which is the origin of words like energy and organ.
Here’s a little overview over relatives:

  • energy (“in action”)
  • allergy (“strange action, wrong action”)
  • synergy (“work together”)
  • organ (“tool that works”)
  • organize (“assemble into a functioning whole”)
  • orgy (originally referred to rites with lots of dancing and activity)
  • argon (a-ergon : “without work”)
  • lethargic (“lingering without work”)
  • dramaturge (“drama worker”)
  • ergonomics (“work science”)

Also related are:

  • George (“gaia/earth worker”)
  • irk (“work up someone”)
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