blasphémer

Forms

blasphémer^[1] Old French blasfemer.^[1][2][3]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Late Latin blasphēmō (“to blaspheme”), a Christian Latin verb used both with and without an object since Tertullian,^[4][5][6][7] which is from Ancient Greek βλασφημέω (blasphēméō).^[6][8][9] Littré analysed the Greek verb as βλάπτω (bláptō, “to harm”) and φήμη (phḗmē, “reputation”).^[9]

A popular altered form of the Latin verb gave Old French blastemer, the source of blâmer, so that this verb is a learned doublet of that inherited one.^[5][1][9] Compare Occitan blasfemar, Spanish blasfemar and Italian bestemmiare.^[9]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded at the end of the 12th century in the Dialogues of Gregory the Great in French, both without an object, “to utter blasphemies”, and with one, “to insult with blasphemies”.^[4][5]

Semantic evolution

From the start the verb meant speaking against God or what is sacred, and by extension uttering curses or insults against anything worthy of respect.^[5][4] The transitive use, as in blasphémer le nom de Dieu, is now literary or dated.^[8][10][5] Littré also gives the sense “to swear, use oaths” and, figuratively, to speak with contempt of an art or a science one does not know.^[9]

The derivatives blasphématoire (1532) and the rare adverb blasphématoirement (16th century) followed.^[5]

Timeline

• Late 12th century – First recorded, with and without an object, in the French Dialogues of Gregory.^[4][5]
• c. 1300 – Anglo-Norman blasphemer is recorded.^[3]
• 1360 – Jean Le Fèvre uses it.^[10]
• 1532 – The adjective blasphématoire is recorded.^[5]

Meanings

Verb

1. (intransitive) To utter blasphemies against God or what is sacred: blasphémer contre le ciel.^[8][4][11]
2. (intransitive, by extension) To utter curses or insults against what deserves respect.^[8][10][4]
3. (transitive, literary) To insult or outrage something sacred or respected with blasphemies.^[8][4][10]

Word family

• blasphémateur
• blasphématoire

Related words

• blasphème
• blâmer
• Latin blasphēmō
• English blaspheme

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ Tobler, Adolf; Lommatzsch, Erhard (1925–2002), Altfranzösisches Wörterbuch, 11 vols., Berlin / Wiesbaden / Stuttgart: Weidmann / Steiner, p. 1:991
3. ^ a b Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
4. ^ a b c d e f g 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 f g h Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 1, 403a
8. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ a b c d e Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
10. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
11. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)