alcoolisme

Forms

alcoolisme m (plural alcoolismes)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from New Latin alcoholismus (“alcoholism”), rendered with alcool and the suffix -isme.^[2][3] Wiktionary and the dictionaries of Robert and Littré simply derive it from the noun.^[1][4][5][6]

The term is traditionally credited to the Swedish physician Magnus Huss, whose book on chronic alcoholism appeared in Swedish in 1849 and spread internationally through its German translation of 1852.^[2] Huss explained that he chose the name to class the illness among the poisonings, which medical Latin named with the suffix -ismus, as in plumbismus and ergotismus.^[2] The word was already used in German in 1843, by Canstatt, so Huss did not invent it, but his monograph made it known everywhere.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first French record, in 1851, is in a medical work by Requin, who lists l'empoisonnement alcoolique and suggests, with a question mark, the name alcoolisme for it.^[2]

Semantic evolution

The first French uses offer the word tentatively; in 1853 the Annales médico-psychologiques reviewed Huss's work under the title De l'alcoolisme chronique.^[2] The TLF-Étym rejects the TLFi's date of about 1852, which rested on an indirect quotation of 1874;^{[2][7][3][5][8]} Bloch and Wartburg and the DHLF give 1852, the Petit Robert 1858 and the GLLF 1861.^{[2][7][3][5][8]}

The word soon became current, for the abuse of alcoholic drinks and for its effects on health, and also for alcoholism as a social scourge.^[3][9] It gave antialcoolisme in 1898.^[3]

Timeline

• 1843 – Alcoholismus is used in German by Canstatt.^[2]
• 1849 – Magnus Huss publishes Alcoholismus chronicus in Swedish.^[2]
• 1851 – Requin proposes alcoolisme in French.^[2]
• 1853 – De l'alcoolisme chronique appears as a title in the Annales médico-psychologiques.^[2]
• 1898 – Antialcoolisme is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. alcoholism: excessive drinking of alcoholic beverages and the disorders it causes.^[5][9][8]
2. Alcoolisme chronique: the illness that results from habitual drinking;^[5][6] alcoolisme aigu: acute alcohol poisoning, drunkenness.^[5][6]
3. Alcoholism as a social scourge: une campagne contre l'alcoolisme.^[9][5]

Word family

• antialcoolisme

Related words

• alcool
• alcoolique

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Steinfeld, Nadine; Buchi, Éva, eds. (2005–), TLF-Étym: révision des notices étymologiques du Trésor de la langue française informatisé, Nancy: ATILF
3. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e f g Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
8. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
9. ^ a b c 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