contrôler

Pronunciation

• IPA: /kɔ̃.tʁo.le/^[1]

Forms

contrôler^[1] Anglo-Norman contre roller (about 1310), controoler (1446), contreroler (1541), controler (1563), with the accent in 1740.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is from French contrôle + -er, from the noun for a register kept in duplicate.^[2][4][3] The noun is from French contre + rôle, replacing contrerole, from Medieval Latin contrārotulus, made of contrā (“against”) and rotulus (“roll”).^[3][1] Medieval Latin had the verb contrārotulō as early as 1298.^[2][3] Vaugelas says that Ronsard was the first to write ⟨controler⟩ for ⟨contre-roler⟩.^[5]

The sense “to master, dominate” is perhaps a borrowing of English control, itself taken from French in the sense “to check”, and later senses such as “to have under one's control” show English influence.^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

About 1310 Anglo-Norman contre roller meant to check accounts by entering them in a second register.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

The first sense disappeared in favour of “to subject to a check” (1437), whence “to examine critically, criticize” (Calvin, 1541) and, in goldsmiths' work, to stamp with a hallmark (1740).^[3][2] An isolated use by Pascal (before 1662) for exercising domination was taken up again in the 20th century, notably in se contrôler (1910) and contrôler ses nerfs (1915).^[3][2]

Under English influence it came to mean “to have under one's supervision” (1895) and “to be able to start, stop or regulate (a process)”, a use common in Quebec French and spreading in European French.^[3] The adjectives incontrôlé (1794), incontrôlable (1819) and contrôlable (1900) followed.^[3]

Timeline

• 1298 – Medieval Latin contrarotulare.^[2][3]
• c. 1310 – Anglo-Norman contre roller.^[2]
• 1437 – “To examine closely”.^[2][3]
• 1541 – Calvin: “to criticize”.^[2]
• 1740 – The Académie: to hallmark gold and silver.^[2]
• 1895 – “To have under one's supervision”.^[3]
• 1910 – Se contrôler.^[3]

Meanings

Verb

1. To check, inspect, verify: contrôler les comptes, contrôler des billets.^[6][1]
2. To hallmark (gold or silver articles).^[6][2]
3. To control, master: contrôler ses réactions, se contrôler, to keep one's self-control.^[6][1]
4. To have under one's power or influence: contrôler une société.^[6][3]
5. (sports) To control (the ball).^[6]

Related words

• contrôle
• contrôleur
• rôle

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 j k l m 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 n o Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert