die Gattung
genre
A category or genre in art, music, or literature that is defined by certain stylistic or content-related features.
EXAMPLE
Die Novelle ist eine literarische Gattung der Epik.
The novella is a literary genre of epic prose.
die Gattung
genre / genus
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Meanings
die Gattung
genus
A basic classification unit in biology that groups one or more closely related species together. The genus stands in the hierarchy above the species and below the family.
EXAMPLE
Der Löwe und der Tiger gehören beide zur Gattung Panthera.
The lion and the tiger both belong to the genus Panthera.
die Gattung
type / kind
In general, a kind, sort, or type of things, people, or phenomena.
EXAMPLE
Solche handgemachten Schuhe sind eine fast ausgestorbene Gattung.
Such handmade shoes are an almost extinct kind.
Usage tips
Context clue
You can almost always recognize the meaning of 'Gattung' from context. Words like 'Literatur' (literature), 'Film' (film), or 'Musik' (music) point to a genre. Terms like 'Art' (species), 'Tier' (animal), or 'Pflanze' (plant) indicate the biological meaning.
EXAMPLE
Der Kriminalroman ist eine sehr beliebte literarische Gattung.
The crime novel is a very popular literary genre.
Register
'Gattung' is a rather formal and technical term. It is used mainly in academic, scientific, or classificatory contexts.
EXAMPLE
In der Vorlesung analysierten wir verschiedene Gattungen der Malerei.
In the lecture, we analyzed different genres of painting.
Typical collocations
In an artistic context, 'Gattung' is often combined with an adjective that specifies the field. Common combinations are 'literarische Gattung' (literary genre), 'musikalische Gattung' (musical genre), or 'filmische Gattung' (film genre).
EXAMPLE
Die Fuge ist eine komplexe musikalische Gattung.
The fugue is a complex musical genre.
Sentence structure in biology
In biology, the preposition 'zur' is often used to express belonging to a genus. The pattern is: '[Art] gehört zur Gattung [Name]' ([species] belongs to the genus [name]).
EXAMPLE
Der Mensch gehört zur Gattung Homo.
Humans belong to the genus Homo.
Compare with
Gattung vs Art
kind / way
Art and Gattung are biological units, but they occupy different levels. An Art comprises living beings with shared reproductive characteristics; a Gattung groups together one or more closely related Arten. Use Art for a single biological group and Gattung for the higher-level group.
Gattung
Die Forschenden fassen mehrere eng verwandte Arten in einer Gattung zusammen.
The researchers group several closely related species into one genus.
Art
Die Forschenden beschreiben die untersuchte Gruppe von Tieren als eigene Art.
The researchers describe the group of animals they studied as a separate species.
In real life
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