apprenti

Forms

apprenti m (plural apprentis, feminine apprentie)^[1] Old French aprentiz (about 1175), later aprentif (1382, still found in 1719); the form apprenti is recorded in 1357 but prevailed only in the 18th century.^[2] The feminine was apprentisse until the end of the 17th century;^[2][3] apprentie dates from the 18th century (1718).^[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French aprentiz, inherited from Vulgar Latin *apprenditīcius, according to Wiktionary, the Grand Robert and the Wiktionnaire, a derivative of *apprenditus, the past participle of *apprendō, from Latin apprehendō (“to seize”).^[1][4][5][6] Bloch and Wartburg and Picoche explain it instead as an Old French formation with the old suffix -is (later -if), added to an old participle *aprent of aprendre, with the same ⟨t⟩ as in appentis beside appendre.^[2][7] Rey considers both explanations possible.^[3]

Littré compares Walloon aprendice, Old Occitan aprentiz and Spanish aprendiz.^[8][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It first appears about 1175, as an adjective.^[3][4] In the 13th century the Roman de la Rose has Li oisillon qui aprenti Ne furent pas ne non sachant “the little birds, who were neither learners nor unskilled”, and the Livre des métiers speaks of the aprentices a silk spinner may keep.^[8]

Semantic evolution

From the Middle Ages the word named a young person learning a craft under a master.^[3] From about 1515, often in the form apprentif (Ronsard, Baïf), it also meant a novice, a sense still found in literary use.^[3]

Later it took several special uses: the first degree of initiation in freemasonry (1866) and an apprentice jockey (mid-20th century).^[3][9] The phrase apprenti sorcier, someone who lets loose events he cannot control, alludes to a ballad of Goethe.^[10]

Timeline

• c. 1175 – First record, as an adjective, in the form aprentiz.^[2][3]
• 1268 – The noun aprentif appears, with the feminine apprentice.^[4][3]
• 1357 – The form apprenti is first recorded.^[2][3]
• 1395 – The derivative apprentissage appears.^[2][3]
• c. 1515 – It is used for a novice in general.^[3]
• 1539 – Robert Estienne has apprenti.^[6]
• 1718 – The feminine apprentie appears.^[3]
• 1866 – It names the first degree in freemasonry.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. An apprentice, a person learning a trade under a master or in an apprenticeship: le boulanger et ses deux apprentis.^[10][11][9]
2. A learner, a beginner or novice: en politique, il n'est qu'un apprenti.^[10][11]
3. In apposition before another noun: un apprenti cuisinier, une apprentie fleuriste.^[10][11]
4. Apprenti sorcier: someone who unleashes events he cannot control.^[11][10][6]
5. (freemasonry) The first degree of initiation.^[9][5]

Word family

• apprentissage

Related words

• apprendre
• Latin apprehendō

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b Wiktionnaire (French Wiktionary), fr.wiktionary.org
6. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ Picoche, Jacqueline (1991), Dictionnaire étymologique du français, Paris: Le Robert (Les Usuels du Robert)
8. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
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
10. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
11. ^ a b c d Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)