Etymologically
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bonjour

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /bɔ̃.ʒuʁ/[1]
  • IPA (France): [bõ.ʒuə̯ʁ][1]
  • IPA (Quebec): [bɒ̃ʊ̯̃.ʒʊu̯ʁ][1]
  • IPA (Louisiana): [bɔ̃.ʒo(ɾ)][1]

Forms

bonjour m (plural bonjours)[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French bon + jour, literally “good day”, Old French bon jor, short for “souhaiter le bon jour” “to wish (someone) a good day”.[2][3][1][4][5] “Bon” continues Latin bonus (“good”), and “jour” popular Latin diurnum, the neuter of the classical adjective diurnus (“of the day”).[4][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Bon jor “good day” is found in the early 13th century, and the welded greeting in its modern sense in the 15th century.[2][6][4]

Semantic evolution

As a noun, le bonjour, it names the greeting itself: dire bonjour, donner le bonjour à quelqu'un, bonjour chez vous.[3][6] Simple comme bonjour means “very easy”, and familiar bonjour les dégâts ! ironically greets an unpleasant consequence.[3][6] In North America bonjour is also used on taking leave.[1][3] English borrowed bonjour as a French greeting in the 1570s.[7]

Timeline

  • Early 13th century – Bon jor.[2]
  • 15th century – The modern greeting.[2][6]
  • 1570s – English uses bonjour.[7]

Meanings

Interjection

  1. Hello, good morning, good afternoon: a greeting used during the day.[1][6]
  2. (North America) Goodbye.[1]

Noun

  1. A greeting: dire bonjour, donner le bonjour à quelqu'un.[3][6]
  2. Simple comme bonjour: very easy.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  4. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 3, 104b
  6. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com