die  Jury

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈjuːʁi/

🏛️ What exactly is a Jury?

Die Jury (noun, feminine) refers to a group of people selected to make a decision, deliver a verdict, or provide an evaluation. This typically occurs in two main contexts:

• In the legal system: A group of lay judges (Geschworene) who decide on the guilt or innocence of the accused in a court case (more common in the Anglo-American legal system, but the term is also used in German).
• In competitions: A group of experts or specialists who award prizes or evaluate performances in competitions (e.g., art, music, film competitions, casting shows).

The word is a loanword from English/French and therefore retains its feminine article die.

🧐 Grammar in Detail: Die Jury

The noun „Jury“ is feminine. Here are the declension tables:

📝 Example Sentences

1. Die Jury zog sich zur Beratung zurück.
   (The jury withdrew to deliberate.)
2. Das Urteil der Jury wurde mit Spannung erwartet.
   (The jury's verdict was eagerly awaited.)
3. Der Angeklagte stand der Jury gegenüber.
   (The defendant faced the jury.)
4. Der Filmpreis wurde von einer internationalen Jury vergeben.
   (The film prize was awarded by an international jury.)
5. Die Entscheidungen verschiedener Jurys können stark voneinander abweichen.
   (The decisions of different juries can vary greatly.)

💡 Usage Contexts for 'die Jury'

The term die Jury is primarily used in specific contexts:

• Judicial System: Although the German legal system does not have juries in the Anglo-American sense (it uses Schöffen - lay judges), the term Jury is often used when reporting on such systems or in translations. The term Geschworenengericht is also used here.
• Competitions & Awards: Very common at film festivals (e.g., die Berlinale-Jury), music competitions (e.g., die ESC-Jury - Eurovision Song Contest jury), literary prizes, art exhibitions, casting shows (e.g., die DSDS-Jury - Germany's Got Talent jury), and similar events where experts decide on winners or rankings. Here, the meaning is closer to Preisgericht (award panel) or Bewertungskommission (evaluation committee).

In everyday language outside these contexts, Germans are more likely to speak of a Komitee (committee), Ausschuss (committee/panel), or Gremium (panel/body) when a group makes a decision.

🧠 Mnemonics for Jury

1. Article Mnemonic: Imagine a group of women (feminine!) making a judgment – that's die Jury. Many loanwords ending in -y from English are feminine in German (die Party, die Lobby, die Story).

2. Meaning Mnemonic: Think of the English phrase "jury duty". Even though the German legal process differs, the similarity helps remember the meaning of a judging group.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

⚠️ Note: While Gremium or Ausschuss can sometimes be used interchangeably, Jury carries the specific connotation of judging or evaluating in the contexts mentioned (law, competitions).

😂 A Little Joke

Fragt der Richter die Jury: "Haben Sie ein Urteil gefällt?"

Antwortet der Obmann der Jury: "Ja, Euer Ehren. Wir haben beschlossen, uns nicht einzumischen!"

Translation:
The judge asks the jury: "Have you reached a verdict?"

The foreman of the jury replies: "Yes, Your Honor. We've decided not to get involved!"

📜 A Poem about the Jury

Im Saale Stille, tief und schwer,
Die Jury lauscht, es fällt nicht leicht, fürwahr.
Sie wägen ab, mit ernstem Blick,
Recht oder Preis, das ist ihr Stück.
Am Ende dann, nach langem Sinn'n,
Verkünden sie, wer soll gewinn'n
Oder wer schuldig ist im Raum –
Die Jury spricht, ein Urteils-Traum?

Translation:
In the hall silence, deep and heavy,
The jury listens, it's not easy, truly.
They weigh the options, with serious gaze,
Justice or prize, that is their phase.
At the end then, after long thought,
They announce who victory has caught
Or who is guilty in the room –
The jury speaks, a verdict's dream or doom?

❓ Riddle Time

Ich bin eine Gruppe, doch kein Verein,
Ich urteile oft, bei groß und klein.
Im Gerichtssaal oder beim Prestigefest,
Meine Entscheidung steht meist fest.

Wer bin ich?

Translation:
I am a group, but not a club,
I often judge, both great and sub.
In the courtroom or at a prestigious fest,
My decision usually stands the test.

Who am I?

Solution: die Jury

🌍 Other Information

Word Origin: The word "Jury" comes from the Middle English juree, which in turn goes back to the Old French jurée ("oath, judicial inquiry"). Ultimately, it is based on the Latin verb iūrāre ("to swear"). Members of a jury traditionally take an oath.

Cultural Differences: The role and composition of juries vary greatly between different legal systems (e.g., USA vs. Germany) and types of competitions.