Etymologically
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accompagner

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /a.kɔ̃.pa.ɲe/[1]

Forms

accompagner[1] Old French acompaignier.[2][3]

Etymology

It is from Old French a- + compain, formed with the prefix “a-”, the Old French nominative compain (“companion”) (see compagnon, copain) and a verbal ending.[2][4][5][6] “Compain” continues Late Latin compāniō, made of cum (“with”) and pānis (“bread”) on the model of a Germanic word such as Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌷𐌻𐌰𐌹𐌱𐌰 (gahlaiba, “messmate”), one who eats his bread with another.[7]

Compare Old Occitan acompanhar, Catalan acompanyar, Spanish acompañar and Italian accompagnare.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

In Chrétien de Troyes' Guillaume d'Angleterre (1165) it means to take someone as a companion.[2][4]

Semantic evolution

In the Middle Ages s'accompagner à meant to keep company with, and accompagner to associate; in law (1239) it was to take someone as a partner in the ownership of goods or rights, a sense that lasted into the 16th century.[7][2][3] With a thing as object it meant to join one thing with another (end of the 12th century).[2][4] The musical sense, to play a part supporting the voice or another instrument, appears in the 15th century.[2][4][7] Accompagnateur is in Mme de Sévigné (about 1670), and raccompagner in Zola (1877).[4]

Timeline

  • 1165 – To take as a companion, Chrétien de Troyes.[2]
  • Late 12th century – To join one thing with another, Saint Bernard's Sermons.[2]
  • 1239 – In law, to take as a partner.[2]
  • 13th century – Accompagnement.[4]
  • 15th century – The musical sense.[2]
  • c. 1670 – Accompagnateur, Mme de Sévigné.[4]
  • 1877 – Raccompagner, Zola.[4]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To accompany, go with: je t'accompagne à la gare; to escort.[8][9][1]
  2. To support, stand by: accompagner un malade.[9]
  3. Of things, to go with, come with: la fièvre accompagne souvent cette maladie, un vin pour accompagner le fromage.[10][11]
  4. (music) To accompany: accompagner un chanteur au piano.[4][2]
  5. Mes vœux vous accompagnent: my good wishes go with you.[10][8]

Word family

  • accompagnement
  • accompagnateur
  • accompagnant
  • raccompagner

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  3. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 2, 967a
  7. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  8. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  9. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
  10. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  11. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)