compagnon

Pronunciation

• IPA: /kɔ̃.pa.ɲɔ̃/^[1]

Forms

compagnon m (plural compagnons, feminine compagne)^[1] Old French nominative cumpainz, compain, oblique cumpaignun, compaignon.^[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French compaignon, the old oblique case, inherited from Late Latin companio (“companion”), through the accusative companiōnem; the old nominative compain survives in copain.^[2][3][5] The Late Latin word, first found in the “Lex Salica”, is formed from cum (“with”) and pānis (“bread”), “one who shares bread with”.^[2][6][7]

It is a calque of a Germanic military word brought by the Germanic soldiers of the late Roman army, such as Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌷𐌻𐌰𐌹𐌱𐌰 (gahlaiba, “messmate”), from 𐌲𐌰- (ga-, “with”) and 𐌷𐌻𐌰𐌹𐍆𐍃 (hlaifs, “bread”); compare Old High German galeipo.^[2][3][5][1] It probably existed beside Latin contubernālis (“tent-mate”), which may have favoured the calque with “com-”.^[2][3]

The shifting stress of compánio, companiónem explains the separate nominative and oblique forms, as in Old Occitan companh and companho; compare Italian compagno.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Chanson de Roland (about 1100) uses cumpainz and cumpaignun for someone who lives habitually with another: ne Oliver, por ce qu'est sis cumpainz “nor Oliver, because he is his companion”.^[2][4]

Semantic evolution

The old sense, someone who shares one's life and activities, gradually gave way to more precise words such as condisciple, commensal and collègue; today it mostly means a person who goes with another (1549), as in compagnon de voyage and, from 1568, compagnon d'infortune.^[3][2] It has also been said of an object one is attached to (1535).^[3]

A special sense, a worker who has finished his apprenticeship (1455), lives on in the crafts and gave compagnonnage (1719), the old workers' guilds; in freemasonry it is a grade (1866).^[2][3][5] The feminine compagne (before 1200) was formed on the nominative compain.^[3][5]

Timeline

• c. 1100 – Cumpainz, cumpaignun, in the Chanson de Roland.^[2]
• before 1200 – The feminine compangne.^[3]
• 1455 – A journeyman who has completed his apprenticeship.^[2]
• 1549 – “One who goes with someone”, in Robert Estienne.^[2][7]
• 1568 – Compagnon de with a word of feeling (d'infortune).^[3]
• 1719 – Compagnonnage.^[3][5]
• 1866 – A grade in freemasonry.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. A companion, someone who shares another's life, work or activities: compagnon de voyage, compagnon d'armes, compagnon de route.^[8][1]
2. A partner in life, a man living with a woman.^[1]
3. A friend, mate, (dated) un joyeux compagnon, a jolly fellow.^[1][8]
4. Compagnon d'infortune: a fellow sufferer.^[1][3]
5. A journeyman, a craftsman who has finished his apprenticeship, especially a member of a compagnonnage.^[1][2]
6. (freemasonry) The second grade, a fellow craft.^[2]

Word family

• compagne
• accompagner
• compagnonnage

Related words

• compagnie
• copain
• pain

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n 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 g h i j k l Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
5. ^ a b c d e Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
6. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert