collaboration

Forms

collaboration f (plural collaborations)^[1]

Etymology

In its first, legal sense it is borrowed from Medieval Latin collabōrātiō, a term for the property a married couple acquired by working together (821), from Late Latin collabōrō (“to work together for gain”) (7th century, Ripuarian law).^[2][3] The Latin verb is formed from com- (“with”) and labōrō (“to work”).^[1][4] In the later sense “working together” the TLFi takes it as formed anew from French collaborer + -ation.^[2] Littré still called the Latin word a fictitious one.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

In 1753 the Encyclopédie uses it in law for the joint labours of husband and wife.^[2][3] The GLLF gives this sense from Richelet in 1759.^[6]

Semantic evolution

From 1829 (Boiste) it spread to the general sense “the act of working with someone”, especially on a literary work, as Littré defines it.^[2][3][5] English took collaboration from French in 1830.^[4]

In 1940 it took on its political sense, the policy of cooperation with the German occupier carried out by the Vichy government, and gave collaborationniste (1941).^[2][3][7] English used it in this bad sense from 1940 too, first of the Vichy government.^[4]

Timeline

• 1753 – The Encyclopédie uses it in law for the joint work of a married couple.^[2]
• 1829 – Boiste records the sense “the act of working with someone”.^[2][6]
• 1830 – English borrows collaboration.^[4]
• 1940 – The political sense appears, of cooperation with the German occupier.^[2][3]
• 1941 – Collaborationniste is derived.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. Work done in common, the act of collaborating with someone: un roman écrit en collaboration.^[8][9]
2. (history) The policy of cooperation with the German occupier carried out by the Vichy government in 1940–1944, and the attitude of its supporters.^[8][7]
3. Active cooperation with an occupying enemy in general.^[7]
4. (law, dated) The joint labours of husband and wife.^[5][2]

Word family

• collaborationniste

Related words

• collaborer
• collaborateur
• collabo
• English collaboration

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ a b c Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
8. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)