dedication
A dedication or dedication (from the Latin dedicatio “ consecration ”, “appropriation”) is the expression of a friendly bond or thanks from the author of a work to a person who is close to him. The dedication in a book has its place on the dedication page and is part of the title . The dedication can also be combined with an acknowledgment .
Space and function
In recent books is the dedication on its own dedication page, usually on the recto side of the main title page in the prelims . Depending on its value, it can take up one or more lines in the basic font - or in uppercase or small caps . The dedication can also be "in a detailed form in a dedication preface or a dedication letter at the beginning of the book or in a short form on the title page". The function of the dedication is today mainly part of the self-presentation of the author to the readership.
history
Dedications can be traced back to antiquity . In addition to the wish to express their gratitude to a special person, the authors often had other reasons for dedicating their work to a certain person. Because until the 18th century it was not the rule for the publisher to pay the authors a certain fee . So the author “dedicated his book to a high person - princes or bishops - or a city and tried to make money in this way.” Most of the time the supplicant was lucky and received a gift in return. For example, the book was given a dedication title especially for the dedication, "which was often given a very detailed and submissive attribution." But not only did the authors try to get something for themselves, the printers also tried to dedicate part of their costs through dedications cover.
The dedication is not to be confused with a handwritten dedication of a single copy: the dedication copy .
See also
literature
- Helmut Hiller, Stephan Füssel: Dictionary of the book . 6th edition. Vittorio Klostermann, Frankfurt am Main 2002, ISBN 3-465-03220-9 .
- Jost Hochuli: Book design in Switzerland . 2nd Edition. Pro Helvetia, Swiss Cultural Foundation. Zurich 1998, ISBN 3-908102-10-3 .
- Andre Horch: Book dedications from the early modern period as sources of urban, social and printing history (Mainz studies on modern history 32). Edited by Peter C. Hartmann, Michael Müller, Ludolf WG Pelizaeus and Helmut Schmahl. Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main 2014, ISBN 978-3-631-65563-4 .
- Reclams non-fiction dictionary of the book. Edited by U. Rautenberg. Reclam, Stuttgart 2003, ISBN 3-15-010542-0 .
- Hannelore Schlaffer : About dedications. In: German essays. By women of the 20th century. Edited by Marlies Gerhardt. Suhrkamp, Frankfurt am Main 1987, ISBN 3-518-03267-4 , pp. 278-284.
- Karl Schottenloher: The dedication preface in the book of the 16th century. Münster 1953 (= Reformation history studies and sources. Volume 76/77).
- Diana Stört: Change in form and function of the dedication. On the historical development and typology of a paratext. In: “This book from my hand.” On the phenomenon of dedication. Edited by Volker Kaukoreit , Marcel Atze and Michael Hansel. Turia + Kant, Vienna 2007 (= Sightings. Archive, Library, Literary Studies, 8th / 9th year, 2005/2006), ISBN 3-85132-476-5 , pp. 79–112.
