lamp Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Here in Germany the word corruption is strictly used for bribe. Though in the IT world it is common to say "corrupted file", and I'm asking myself how the definition of this word started? I've looked the word up and I've read about bribe and morally rotten, now I'm wondering does the "moral" part in that word play a huge role? If yes, then maybe, saying "corrupted file" is not correct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swansont Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Corrupt also means to change or debase. I don't think it's all that uncommon to have an English word with multiple definitions, while each definition corresponds a distinct word in another language (in this case German). English robs other language for words, so I'm guessing this could easily happen if the word came from a different source (in this case, Latin) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marat Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 Better still, why not turn the question around and ask where the Germans get 'Bestechung' for bribery? From 'stechen,' meaning 'stick' or 'prick,' since the official seeking a bribe gives you a little stab in asking for something extra? Or from 'stechen' in cards, where it corresponds to the English 'trump,' since the demand for a bribe trumps the way the legal process is supposed to work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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