correspondent
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correspondent
A journalist or reporter who reports for a news organization (e.g., newspaper, TV station) on a long-term basis from a specific place, often abroad.
Unser Korrespondent in Washington berichtet über die aktuellen politischen Entwicklungen.
Our correspondent in Washington reports on the latest political developments.
The word 'Korrespondent' (correspondent) belongs to the word family of 'korrespondieren' (to correspond: to conduct correspondence, to be in contact) and 'die Korrespondenz' (correspondence). The ending '-ent' often denotes a person who performs an activity.
Er korrespondiert täglich mit der Zentrale in Berlin.
He corresponds daily with headquarters in Berlin.
A correspondent's specialization is often indicated with prepositions such as 'in' for the location or 'für' (for) for the department or employer.
Sie arbeitet als Korrespondentin in Brüssel.
She works as a correspondent in Brussels.
In a journalistic context, 'Auslandskorrespondent' (foreign correspondent) or 'Sonderkorrespondent' (special correspondent) are common compounds. Typical verbs are 'berichten' (to report) or 'sich melden aus' (to report from).
Der Auslandskorrespondent meldet sich live aus dem Krisengebiet.
The foreign correspondent reports live from the crisis area.
The meaning as a person who handles written correspondence is very rare today. It is found almost only in historical or very formal business contexts.
Im 19. Jahrhundert war ein Korrespondent oft für die handschriftliche Geschäftspost eines Kaufmanns zuständig.
In the 19th century, a correspondent was often responsible for a merchant's handwritten business correspondence.
journalist
'Journalist' and 'Korrespondent' can both refer to people who report for the media. 'Journalist' is the general profession. A 'Korrespondent' is a specific type of journalist: they report long-term from a particular place, often from another country or an important city. The words can be confused because a correspondent also does journalistic work. When the location or foreign country is important, 'Korrespondent' sounds more precise. In other cases, 'Journalist' is usually enough.
Die Korrespondentin berichtet seit drei Jahren aus Paris.
The correspondent has been reporting from Paris for three years.
Der Journalist schreibt einen Artikel über steigende Mieten in der Stadt.
The journalist writes an article about rising rents in the city.