Etymologically
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choc

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Pronunciation

Forms

choc m (plural chocs)[1]

Etymology

It is a deverbal noun from French choquer (“to strike, knock against”).[2][3][4] The verb is found first in Picard as chuquier “to clash in battle” (first half of the 13th century); its origin is obscure, but it is probably Germanic.[2] Bloch and Wartburg derive it from Old High German scoc (“shock”) and Middle High German schocke;[4] the FEW from Middle Low German schocken (“to knock, strike”), which the TLFi finds hard to square with the dates, and the TLFi also finds the Old High German noun hard to accept on geographical grounds.[5][2] Wiktionary suggests Frankish *skokkōn and compares Middle Dutch schokken (“to push, jolt”) and English shock.[1]

The medical sense “trauma, state of shock” was probably influenced by the English noun, which had itself been borrowed from French in 1705;[2][6] French medical texts of 1896–97 still spell the word with ⟨sh⟩.[2][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1521 in the phrase donner le choc, of two armed troops meeting in an attack.[2][6]

Semantic evolution

From the clash of troops the word passed to the violent meeting of any two bodies (before 1570, Jacques Grévin).[2][6] Already in the 16th century it was used figuratively in soutenir le choc “to withstand the onslaught” (1549), and by extension it named a blow of fate that strikes someone (1690, Furetière) and, in particular, an ordeal for one's health (1740).[2][6]

The medical sense of a trauma (choc nerveux, 1892) is a learned borrowing from English.[6][2] The phrase de choc (1685) was first military (troupes de choc), and in the 20th century advertising and the press made choc a fashionable second element (image-choc, prix choc).[6] It has also formed compounds such as antichoc (1907), électrochoc (1938) and pare-chocs (1925, after the railway term pare-à-chocs, 1863).[6]

Timeline

  • 1521 – Donner le choc, of troops attacking.[2]
  • 1549 – Robert Estienne records soutenir le choc figuratively.[2]
  • before 1570 – Jacques Grévin uses it for one body striking another.[2]
  • 1685 – The phrase de choc, in a military context.[6]
  • 1690 – Furetière records the sense “unfortunate event that strikes someone”.[2]
  • 1705 – English borrows the word as shock.[6]
  • 1740 – The Académie records the sense “ordeal for one's health”.[2]
  • 1892 – Choc nerveux appears in medicine.[2][6]
  • 1925 – Pare-chocs is recorded.[6]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A violent meeting of two bodies; a collision, impact, and the jolt it causes.[7][8]
  2. The violent meeting of two armed forces; an assault: troupes de choc, troops used for attack.[9][6]
  3. A clash of opposing things, such as ideas or cultures.[1][6]
  4. A sudden, violent emotional shock.[7][1]
  5. (medicine) A state of physical collapse following an injury or illness: état de choc, choc opératoire.[2][6]
  6. An electric shock.[1]
  7. (in apposition) Striking, meant to make an impression: image-choc.[6]

Word family

  • antichoc
  • électrochoc
  • pare-chocs
  • choquer
  • entrechoquer
  • English shock

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f 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 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. ^ a b 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. 17, 50a
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  7. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  8. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  9. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette