cantonner

Forms

cantonner^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French canton + -er, from the noun in its senses “corner, region” and as a term of heraldry.^[2][3][1] The noun canton was borrowed in 1243 from Old Occitan canton, derived from cant (“edge”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in Pierre Bersuire's translation of Livy (1352–1358), meaning “to settle, establish oneself” somewhere.^[2][5]

Semantic evolution

From “settle somewhere” the verb became a military term for quartering troops in a place,^[5][2] and in the 16th century se cantonner meant to keep apart or shut oneself up somewhere;^[2][6] Littré quotes Carloix for a town cantonnée, held by guards.^[2][6] In the 17th century Bossuet used se cantonner en soi-même figuratively, of withdrawing into oneself.^[2][5]

In architecture and heraldry it means “to furnish in the corners” (1690, Furetière), as with a cross or a tower set with smaller figures at its corners.^[2][7] The sense “to keep apart”, as of sick cattle, is recorded in 1845.^[7] Today the transitive verb usually means to confine someone to a place or role, and se cantonner to limit oneself to something.^[8][9]

Timeline

• 1352–1358 – Bersuire uses it for “to settle”.^[2]
• 16th century – Se cantonner “to keep apart, shut oneself up” appears.^[2]
• 17th century – Bossuet uses se cantonner en soi-même figuratively.^[2][5]
• 1690 – Furetière records the heraldic sense.^[2]
• 1845 – Bescherelle records the sense “to isolate”.^[7]

Meanings

Verb

1. (transitive, dated) To quarter or station troops in a place.^[8][10][1]
2. (intransitive) Of troops: to be quartered, take up quarters, as in le régiment cantonnait près du fleuve.^[8][10]
3. (architecture, heraldry) To furnish in the corners.^[8][2]
4. (transitive) To confine someone to a place, a role or a state, as in on l’a cantonné dans des tâches administratives.^[8][9]
5. Se cantonner: (dated) to stay in a place without going out, and to limit oneself to something, as in elle se cantonne à la poésie.^[8][9][1]

Word family

• cantonnement

Related words

• canton
• cantonal
• cantonnier
• cantonade

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l 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. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b c 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 Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ a b c Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
10. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)