concerter

Forms

concerter^[1]

Etymology

It is probably borrowed from Italian concertare (“to plan in common”), a verb recorded in that sense in Italian since the 14th century (Boccaccio), which is from Latin concertō (“to act together, to act for a common purpose”) in Christian Latin.^[2][3][4] In Classical Latin the verb meant “to contend, to vie”; it is a compound of com- and certō (“to debate, to fight, to vie”).^[3][5]

The musical sense “to play music together” (1623) is treated by the TLFi as a separate formation, derived from concert with the verb ending -er, and by the DHLF as a fresh borrowing from Italian that followed the borrowing of the noun.^[2][3] The Grand Robert and the Petit Robert derive the whole verb from the noun, and Bloch and Wartburg leave the choice open between a derivative of the noun and a borrowing of the Italian verb.^[6][7][8] The FEW files it under the Latin verb.^[9]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLFi's first record is in Jean Chartier's chronicle of Charles VII (1476–1477), where it means “to plan something in common”, here of the letters an embassy was to obtain in Rome.^[2][10] The GLLF dates the same text about 1437,^[11] and the Anglo-Norman Dictionary has the verb as early as 1399 with the sense “to plot”.^[12]

Semantic evolution

The sense of planning together has lasted into modern French, above all in the reflexive se concerter “to come to an agreement in order to act together” (1646).^[3][2] Montaigne used the verb transitively in 1580, and Littré quotes him saying of a general who sent swallows home with coloured marks that he had agreed the meaning avecques les siens “with his people”.^[11][5] From the 17th century it could also mean “to decide after reflection”, and the past participle concerté “planned, deliberate” is common.^[7][13]

The musical use, “to play together in harmony” (1623), and the classical “to rehearse or perform a piece” have gone out of use,^[3][11] except in the present participle concertant, as in parties concertantes (1690), and in a technical intransitive use of an instrument that holds its part against the orchestra.^[3][7] The noun concertation “consultation between parties” is recent (1963 in dictionaries) and has become usual in politics and labour relations.^[3]

Timeline

• 1399 – The Anglo-Norman Dictionary records the verb in the sense “to plot”.^[12]
• 1476–1477 – Jean Chartier's chronicle of Charles VII uses concerter “to plan in common”.^[2][3]
• 1580 – Montaigne uses the verb transitively.^[11]
• 1623 – Charles Sorel's Francion has the musical sense “to make music”.^[2][3]
• 1646 – The reflexive se concerter appears in Rotrou.^[2][3]
• 1680 – Richelet records the sense “to perform a prepared piece of music”.^[11]
• 1690 – Parties concertantes is recorded.^[3]
• 1963 – The derivative concertation appears in dictionaries.^[3]

Meanings

Verb

1. (transitive) To plan or arrange something together with one or more people: concerter une stratégie avec ses associés.^[7][13][14]
2. (reflexive) Se concerter: to consult one another so as to act in concert.^[7][13][5]
3. To decide after reflection; the past participle concerté means deliberate, planned: un silence concerté.^[7][13]
4. (music, intransitive) To hold one's part in a concert, of an instrument playing with the orchestra.^[7]

Word family

• concertation
• concertant
• déconcerter

Related words

• concert
• concerto
• Latin concertō

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g 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. ^ Picoche, Jacqueline (1991), Dictionnaire étymologique du français, Paris: Le Robert (Les Usuels du Robert)
5. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c d e f g Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
9. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 2/2, 999a
10. ^ Dictionnaire du Moyen Français, version 2015 (DMF 2015), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/dmf
11. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
12. ^ a b Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
13. ^ a b c d Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
14. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)