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When a teacher gives the pupil the worst grade, why is he using infinitive and not imperative here?

Mladen Jablanović
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    imperative of (sich) setzen would either be sitz or setz dich, where sitz would be used to adress a dog (and almost only there). Setz dich on the other hand would be understood as an invitation to have a seat, rather than a command. – Burki Dec 01 '15 at 13:10
  • Den Hintergrund für diese Frage habe ich nicht. Was hat setzen mit einer Note zu tun? – c.p. Dec 01 '15 at 15:21
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    @c.p. http://dict.leo.org/forum/viewUnsolvedquery.php?idThread=183831 – Iris Dec 01 '15 at 15:25
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    @Burki Isn't sitz the imperative of sitzen? – 355durch113 Dec 01 '15 at 16:03
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    @c.p.: Als ich noch in die Schule ging, war es üblich, dass Schüler, die eine Frage beantworteten, dazu aufstehen mussten. Nachdem der Schüler die Antwort gegeben hat, gestattete der Lehrer dem Schüler sich wieder zu setzen (»Danke, Sie können sich wieder setzen«). Dann schrieb er die Beurteilung in sein Notizheft und gab die Note bekannt. Wenn der Schüler eine ungenügende Antwort gab, (also die Note 1 in der Schweiz, 5 in Österreich oder eben 6 in Deutschland), und das Sitz-Kommante zum Infiniv verkürzt wurde, wurde daraus eben »Setzen, 1« (CH), »Setzen, 5« (AT) oder »Setzen, 6« (DE) – Hubert Schölnast Dec 01 '15 at 16:20
  • @HubertSchölnast Danke sehr. – c.p. Dec 01 '15 at 16:26
  • @HubertSchölnast Danke für diese Erklärung. – Alberto Solano Dec 01 '15 at 17:21
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    @Maasumi it is, but it is basically never used when adressing a person, only as command to an animal. (Except for perhaps some communication with humans in certain scenarios that would also involve a dog collar, but I digress.) – Stephie Dec 01 '15 at 17:55
  • @Burki: Thanks for the explanation. Does that mean that infinitive tense in cases like this is more "imperative" than the imperative tense (which you say sounds more like a suggestion than a command)? – Mladen Jablanović Dec 01 '15 at 20:43
  • @HubertSchölnast: Thank you for the story (I managed to understand it completely using Google Translate). I instinctively understood the phrase as during my own schooling the teachers used the same, in my language: "sedi, jedan" (imperative 2. p. sg.) :) – Mladen Jablanović Dec 01 '15 at 20:45
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    @MladenJablanović: Infinitive is not a tense. It is a declination-form. Declination forms are used when you want to use verbs in a definite situation, i.e. in a definite tense, number and person. You can use infinitve as a command in present tense (as in the discussed example), or to express futur 1 (»Ich werde sitzen«) and for some other usages. And the infinitive of a verb is the »basic« form that is listed in dictionaries. You will not find »saß«, »gesetzt« or »gesessen« in a dictionary. You will find only the infinite form »sitzen«. – Hubert Schölnast Dec 01 '15 at 20:56

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Because the infinitive can act as imperative in very short, oral instructions and commands. (Not for full sentences or polite requests!) On a train station:

Zurückbleiben!

Likewise for instructions that have no direct adressee. Quote from a random pack of tea from my cupboard:

Pro Tasse einen Aufgussbeutel mit sprudelnd kochendem Wasser übergießen und 8-10 Minuten ziehen lassen.

Stephie
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  • I think I remember the past participle being used in a similar fashion, but I'm not quite sure... something like stehengeblieben! – 355durch113 Dec 01 '15 at 16:00
  • Thank you, @Stephie! Is the reason that the language allows such usage of infinitive (over quite functional imperative) known, e.g. to allow further personal detachment from the command? How would a person choose whether to use infinitive or imperative? Is there a subtle difference in the meaning? – Mladen Jablanović Dec 01 '15 at 20:40
  • @Maasumi, „Stillgestanden!“ – Carsten S Dec 02 '15 at 09:01
  • @MladenJablanović, perhaps some linguist could answer this better - I'm just a native speaker. – Stephie Dec 02 '15 at 09:10
  • @Stephie So, how does the difference between "Setz dich!" and "Setzen!" sound to you, as to native speaker? When would you use one over the other? Considering the teacher-pupil relation, would "setz dich, 6" be too harsh or too mild? Thx! – Mladen Jablanović Dec 02 '15 at 10:10
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    @MladenJablanović "Setz dich!" is more of a request or invitation (can be like a command if the authority gradient in a relationship suggests it, like between teachers and pupils) in general, "Setzen!" is a direct order, bar any trace of politeness. As an independent adult I would feel offended if anyone said that to me. I would expect a teacher to say "Setz dich..." today, whether he includes a grade or not. It's a matter of basic civility. – Stephie Dec 02 '15 at 10:25