barque

Forms

barque f (plural barques, diminutive barquette)^[1]

Etymology

It is probably borrowed from Italian barca, recorded from the early 14th century in Dante, rather than Old Occitan barca: the first French record comes from a text that is partly Italianate, by an author born in Italy.^[2][3][4] The Petit Robert and the GLLF derive it from the Provençal word instead.^[5][6] The Italian and Old Occitan words, like Spanish barca (about 1140) and Portuguese barca (911 in Medieval Latin), go back to Late Latin barca (“small boat”), found about 200 in an inscription from the south of Portugal.^[2][3][4]

The Latin word is of obscure origin.^[3] The usual explanation, based on its likeness to the Medieval Latin form barga (876), starts from a Latin *barica, from Ancient Greek βᾶρις (bâris, “Egyptian boat”), itself borrowed from Egyptian.^[3][4][7] Its spread in the Iberian Peninsula has also suggested an Iberian origin, linked to Basque ibai (“river”).^[3] Guiraud preferred a Romance origin, connecting the word with barrique.^[7] Littré's Celtic etymology is not followed by the later dictionaries.^[8]

Old French mostly used barge, a doublet taken from that Medieval Latin form; it was later supplanted by the Italian loan.^[3][4][1] The diminutive barquette is recorded in 1238, earlier than the base word, from which it must nevertheless be derived.^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It first appears at the beginning of the 14th century in the Mémoires of Philippe de Novare, as barque de cantier, the largest boat carried on board, the launch of a seagoing ship.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

From the launch of a ship the word widened to any small boat, decked or not, with or without masts.^[3][2] Figurative phrases followed: mener sa barque, conduire sa barque “to run one's own affairs” are recorded from 1593 and became common in the 17th century.^[3][9] In the classical period passer dans la barque de Charon “to die” belonged to the elevated style, after the ferry of the dead in mythology.^[3][8] Charger la barque “to overdo it” is a recent phrase, recorded in 1990.^[3]

Littré also records it for a dyer's vat and a brewer's tank.^[8] English took it in the early 15th century as bark, also spelled barque.^[10]

Timeline

• c. 200 – Late Latin barca “launch” appears in an inscription from southern Portugal.^[2][3]
• c. 1080 – Old French barge appears in the Chanson de Roland.^[4]
• 1238 – The diminutive barquette is recorded.^[2][3]
• early 14th century – Philippe de Novare writes barque de cantier.^[2]
• early 15th century – English borrows it as bark.^[10]
• 1593 – Mener sa barque “to run one's affairs” is recorded.^[3]
• 1673 – Madame de Sévigné uses conduire sa barque.^[9]
• 1990 – Charger la barque is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. A small boat, decked or open, rowed, sailed or motor-driven: ils traversent le lac en barque.^[5][2][11]
2. Mener la barque: to be in charge, to run things.^[5][6]
3. Bien mener sa barque: to manage one's own affairs well.^[5][6]
4. (familiar) Charger la barque: to overdo it, to aim too high.^[5][3]
5. (mythology) La barque de Charon: the boat that ferries the souls of the dead across the Styx.^[8]

Word family

• barquette
• débarquer
• débarquement
• débarcadère
• embarquer
• embarquement
• désembarquer
• désembarquement
• rembarquer
• rembarquement

Related words

• barge
• Late Latin barca

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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 d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
10. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
11. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)