balance

Forms

balance f (plural balances)^[1] Anglo-Norman also balaunce and balanse.^[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French balance, inherited from Vulgar Latin *bilancia (“two-pan balance”), from Late Latin bilanx (4th century), formed from bis (“twice”) and lanx (“dish, scale pan”); it replaced the classical word for the balance, lībra.^[3][4][5][6] Rey calls it an altered borrowing rather than an inherited word.^[5] The initial ⟨ba-⟩ may come from a very old crossing with Late Latin ballō (“to dance”);^[3][7] Rey explains it by a change of /i/ to /a/ before /l/, perhaps helped by the present participle of baller, for the swinging of the two pans.^[5]

Cognate with Italian bilancia, Old Occitan balansa, Spanish balanza and Picard balanche.^[3][8]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is recorded in the 12th century.^[6][9] Littré quotes Puis prie Deu qui tout a en balance (“then he prays to God, who holds everything in the balance”) from the Roncevaux.^[6][9][8] In the phrase mettre en balance (1160–1170) it already implies judging or comparing two opposed things.^[5]

Semantic evolution

Until the 16th century balance named one pan of the instrument, and the plural balances the whole, as still in Richelet in 1680.^[5] The figurative use is old: besides mettre en balance, tenir la balance égale (17th century) and emporter la balance (1636).^[5][8] In Old French en balance also meant in doubt or in danger.^[8]

By metonymy the word expresses uncertainty and names methods of comparing data, as in book-keeping and political economy (before 1683, Colbert), with balance commerciale in Sismondi (1827).^[5] It names the sign of the zodiac (1379) and the symbol of justice.^[5] In Canada it means the balance of an account, after English balance, and la balance du pouvoir is the power to bring down a government; in the Indian Ocean it also means a swing.^[5] English took the word from Old French early in the 13th century.^[10]

Timeline

• 12th century – First recorded.^[6][9]
• 1160–1170 – Mettre en balance is recorded.^[5]
• Early 13th century – English borrows the word.^[10]
• 1379 – It names the sign of the zodiac.^[5]
• 1636 – Emporter la balance is recorded.^[5]
• 1680 – Richelet still uses the plural balances for the instrument.^[5]
• Before 1683 – Colbert uses it in political economy.^[5]
• 1827 – Balance commerciale appears in Sismondi.^[5]
• 1863 – It means the balance of a bank account.^[11]
• c. 1930 – Balance “informer”, from the verb, appears in slang.^[9][5]

Meanings

Noun

1. A pair of scales, an instrument with a beam and pans for weighing; by extension any weighing apparatus.^[9][12]
2. The scales as the symbol of justice.^[7][5]
3. La Balance: Libra, the seventh sign of the zodiac.^[7][5]
4. A fishing net shaped like the pan of a scale.^[7][1]
5. An equilibrium between two situations or forces: la balance des forces.^[13]
6. (economics) The difference between the debit and credit of an account, and a statement showing it;^[13][5] balance commerciale, the balance of trade.^[13][5]
7. Mettre en balance: to weigh one thing against another;^[8][9] faire pencher la balance: to tip the balance.^[8][9]

Word family

• balancer
• balancement
• balancier
• balançoire
• contre-balancer

Related words

• bilan
• Latin bilanx
• English balance

Usage notes

Balance “informer, grass” (slang, about 1930) has a separate source: it is a back-formation from balancer in its slang sense “to inform on” (1929–1934), and is very common (t'es une balance !).^[9][5][13]

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
3. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
4. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 1, 362a
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ a b c d e f Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
10. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
11. ^ Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
12. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
13. ^ a b c d Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)