blâmer

Pronunciation

• IPA: /bla.me/^[1]
• IPA: /blɑ.me/^[1]

Forms

blâmer^[1] Old French blasmer (about 1050).^[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French blasmer, inherited from Vulgar Latin *blastēmō (“to reproach”), an altered form of Ecclesiastical Latin blasphēmō (“to blaspheme; to revile”), from Ancient Greek βλασφημέω (blasphēméō).^{[4][2][5][3][1][6]} The change is due to dissimilation of the second labial, rather than to crossing with Latin aestimō, the source of estimer;^[4][2][5] “*blastemare” is supported by the Romance forms and by “blastema” for “blasphema” in inscriptions of Gaul.^[4][2] The sense of “blasphemare” had weakened early to “to reprove publicly”, as in the Chronicle of Fredegar (613–658).^[4][2]

It is a doublet of the learned blasphémer.^[1][2] Compare Old Occitan blasmar, Spanish lastimar (“to hurt, offend”); Italian biasimare was borrowed from French.^[5][2][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Vie de saint Alexis (about 1050) uses it both for reproaching someone and for condemning something.^[4][2]

Semantic evolution

Blâmer kept the weakened sense “to reproach”, and before the 17th century lost the strong senses “to curse, blaspheme” and “to threaten”, so that it stands well apart from its doublet blasphémer.^[2] In law it meant “to accuse” (1177, Chrétien de Troyes), and later “to reprimand publicly by order of a court” (1690, Furetière).^[4][2]

The noun blâme is from about 1080 (Chanson de Roland), and blâmable from 1267–1268.^[2][5]

Timeline

• 613–658 – Latin blasphemare “to reprove publicly” (Fredegar).^[4][2]
• c. 1050 – Blasmer (Alexis).^[4][2]
• c. 1080 – Blasme (Roland).^[2][5]
• 1177 – “To accuse” (Chrétien de Troyes).^[4][2]
• 1267–1268 – Blasmable.^[2]
• 1690 – A judicial reprimand (Furetière).^[4][2]

Meanings

Verb

1. To blame, to criticize, to disapprove of someone or something: blâmer quelqu'un de son attitude.^[8][1]
2. To reprimand officially; to censure.^[1][9]

Related words

• blâme
• blasphémer
• English blame

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ 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
3. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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
5. ^ a b c d e Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 1, 403a
7. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse