contacter

Forms

contacter^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French contact + -er.^[2][1][3][4] The Robert dictionaries add that it was modelled on the English verb contact;^[5][6] the DHLF says that Richard de Radonvilliers coined it in 1842, but that it owes its actual sense to the English verb.^[7] The noun is from Latin contāctus (“touch, contact”),^[2][1] from contingō (“to touch”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It was proposed in 1842 by Richard de Radonvilliers in his dictionary of new words, Enrichissement de la langue française, meaning “to establish contact or contacts”.^[2][7][3]

Semantic evolution

The verb remained rare until the 20th century and spread about 1940, under the influence of English, in the sense “to get in touch with someone”, despite the criticism of purists.^[2][7][5][6] It produced the prefixed recontacter in the 20th century.^[7] A rare technical use, of one body touching another, is found in the 1950s.^[2]

Timeline

• 1842 – Richard de Radonvilliers proposes the verb.^[2][7]
• About 1940 – It spreads in the sense “to get in touch with”.^[5][6][7]
• 1951 – A familiar absolute use is recorded in La Varende.^[2]

Meanings

Verb

1. To get in touch with someone, to contact them: contacter un client par courriel.^[6][2][1]
2. (rare) Of a body, to come into contact with another.^[2]

Word family

• recontacter

Related words

• contact
• contacteur

Usage notes

The Petit Robert marks the use as criticized, and the DHLF notes the purists' objections to it.^[6][7]

References

1. ^ a b c d e 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 Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
4. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c d e f g Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert