conférence

Forms

conférence f (plural conférences)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Medieval Latin conferentia (“confrontation, meeting”), found in glosses attributed to Isidore (6th–7th century).^[2][3][4] The Latin word is the neuter plural of the present participle of Latin cōnferō (“to bring together, to exchange words, to compare”), taken as a feminine singular noun.^[2][3] It is related to conférer.^[5][6]

Older dictionaries date it to 1346 after Godefroy, but the TLFi and Rey find that the word is not in the passage cited, and date it to 1464.^[2][3][4][7] Littré gives Spanish conferencia and Italian conferenza as cognates.^[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

In 1464 a royal ordinance speaks of communication et conferences, in the sense of a discussion of a subject by several people.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

From a discussion among several people, the word went on to name meetings on important questions in diplomacy, as conference pour une paix (1635), and many international institutions now bear the name.^[2][3] A learned sense, “comparison of texts”, arose in 1504 and was widened to other objects before it went out of use; the Académie still listed it in 1835 and 1878.^[2][3]

From 1680, first in theology, it named a talk given in public by one person, and in 1752 a lesson in certain schools, which gave the university title maître de conférences (1845).^[2][3] The conférence de presse spread through the newspapers from 1952.^[2][3] The derivative conférencier (1752) first named the person presiding over a theological conference; since 1869 it has meant a lecturer.^[4][3]

Timeline

• 1464 – First recorded in a royal ordinance, of a discussion.^[2][3]
• 1504 – Jean Lemaire de Belges uses it for a comparison.^[2][3]
• 1635 – Monet records conference pour une paix, a diplomatic meeting.^[2]
• 1680 – Richelet records it of a public talk on theology.^[2]
• 1752 – The Dictionnaire de Trévoux records it of a lesson in a school or faculty;^[2][4] conférencier appears.^[2][4]
• 1842 – It is used of a public talk on any subject.^[2]
• 1845 – Maître de conférences is recorded.^[2][3]
• 1952 – Conférence de presse appears in L'Humanité.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. A meeting of diplomats, ministers or heads of government to settle an international question: conférence au sommet.^[9][6]
2. A meeting of people discussing a common subject or their work;^[9][10] être en conférence, to be in a meeting.^[9][10]
3. A lecture or talk given to an audience on a literary, artistic or scientific subject.^[9][6]
4. Conférence de presse: a press conference.^[2]
5. Maître de conférences: a university lecturer.^[2][3]
6. (dated) A conversation or discussion between two or more people on a serious subject.^[2][7]
7. A variety of medium-sized green pear.^[9]

Word family

• téléconférence
• conférencier

Related words

• conférer
• Latin cōnferō

References

1. ^ a b 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 q r s t 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 m Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, 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. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ a b c d e Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
10. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)