coloniser

Forms

coloniser^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French colonie + -iser, probably on the model of the English verb colonize, recorded from 1622.^[2][3][4][5] The TLFi also allows a direct borrowing from the English verb, and Rey calls the French verb a translation of it; the GLLF derives it from colon.^[2][6][7] colonie is a 14th-century borrowing of Latin colōnia.^[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1790, meaning “to establish colonies”, in the reply of the Friends of the Constitution of Auch (Gers) to abbé Grégoire's questionnaire on the patois.^[2] The GLLF dates it to the same year, from Mackenzie.^[7]

Semantic evolution

The verb first meant to people a land with settlers, then to make a country dependent on a mother country;^[2][7] Hugo uses it so in 1842.^[2][7] In the early 20th century it took the figurative sense “to settle somewhere in numbers, to invade”, and it is now also said of plants and micro-organisms.^[7][4] Littré records a reflexive se coloniser “to become colonized”.^[9]

Its family grew alongside it: colonisation (1769), colonisateur (1835), colonisable (1838) and décoloniser (1960).^[8][2] Rey sees in these semi-borrowings a mark of British preponderance in colonial history from the late 18th century.^[6]

Timeline

• 1769 – Colonisation appears.^[8][6]
• 1790 – First record of coloniser.^[2][8]
• 1835 – Colonisateur appears.^[8]
• 1842 – Hugo uses it of making a land dependent on a mother country.^[2]
• Early 20th century – The figurative sense “to invade” appears.^[7]
• 1960 – Décoloniser is recorded.^[8]

Meanings

Verb

1. To populate a territory with colons, settlers.^[4][7][9]
2. To make a country a colonie, dependent on a mother country: Ce royaume voulait coloniser les îles voisines.^[2][4][7]
3. (figurative) To settle in numbers somewhere, to invade a place; also of plants and micro-organisms: Les ronces ont colonisé tout le terrain.^[7][4]

Word family

• colonisation
• colonisateur
• colonisable
• colonisé
• décoloniser

Related words

• colonie
• colon
• colonial
• English colonize

References

1. ^ a b 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. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Wiktionnaire (French Wiktionary), fr.wiktionary.org
6. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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 Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
9. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette