footnote
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footnote
A note at the bottom of a text page that contains additional information, source references, or comments on the main text.
Die genaue Definition des Fachbegriffs finden Sie in der Fußnote 3 auf Seite 12.
You can find the exact definition of the technical term in footnote 3 on page 12.
The word 'Fußnote' (footnote) is made up of 'Fuß' (foot) and 'Note' (in the sense of note). It literally describes a note that stands at the 'foot' of a page.
Wissenschaftliche Texte enthalten oft viele Fußnoten mit Quellenangaben.
Academic texts often contain many footnotes with source references.
In the context of texts, the preposition 'in' is often used. Typical verbs are 'eine Fußnote einfügen' (to insert a footnote), 'auf etwas verweisen' (to refer to something), or 'etwas nachlesen' (to look something up).
Der Autor verweist in einer Fußnote auf eine weiterführende Studie.
The author refers in a footnote to a further study.
The literal meaning of 'Fußnote' (footnote) is typical of academic and scholarly language. It occurs less often in everyday conversations, unless people are talking about a text.
Für deine Hausarbeit musst du alle Zitate mit einer Fußnote belegen.
For your term paper, you must cite all quotations with a footnote.
You can recognize the figurative meaning by the fact that it does not refer to a text, but to events, people, or their role. Phrases like 'nur eine Fußnote der Geschichte' (only a footnote in history) point to this meaning.
Seine kurze Zeit als Trainer war nur eine Fußnote in der Vereinsgeschichte.
His brief time as coach was only a footnote in the club's history.
comment
'der Kommentar' and 'die Fußnote' can both give additional information about a text. However, a Kommentar is more general: it can be an opinion, an explanation, or a longer interpretation, and it can also appear as a text in its own right. A Fußnote appears at a specific place at the bottom of the page or at the end of a text and adds to the main text, for example with a source or a short explanation. In academic texts, a footnote can also contain a small comment. 'Fußnote' is more natural when you are talking about the place in the text. 'Kommentar' fits better when the explanation or opinion itself is important.
In der Fußnote steht, aus welchem Buch das Zitat stammt.
The footnote says which book the quote comes from.
Der Kommentar des Lehrers half mir, den schwierigen Text besser zu verstehen.
The teacher's comment helped me understand the difficult text better.