Etymologically
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correct

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /kɔ.ʁɛkt/[1]
  • IPA: /ko.ʁɛkt/[1]
  • IPA: /kɔ.ʁɛk/[1]

Forms

correct (feminine correcte, masculine plural corrects, feminine plural correctes)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin correctus (“corrected, improved”),[2][3][4][5] the past participle of Latin corrigō (“to straighten; to set right”) (see corriger), formed from “com-” and regō (“to direct, guide”).[2][6] The Anglo-Norman “correct” is recorded in 1382.[7] Littré notes that Chifflet (17th century) already pronounced the “ct”.[8]

English correct comes from Latin “correctus”.[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Jean Lemaire de Belges (1512) uses it of a piece of writing that conforms to the established rules;[2][3] Rabelais has Vous parlez à ceste heure correct.[8]

Semantic evolution

Before 1696 La Bruyère applied it to conduct that follows the rules of propriety, and Stendhal (1830) to dress (tenue correcte);[2][3] in the 18th century it meant “faithful, exact” of a drawing (Mlle de Lespinasse) and “in accordance with morals” (Saint-Simon), sometimes with the slightly pejorative tone of convenable (un jeune homme correct, Stendhal, 1836).[2][3]

In familiar use it also means “acceptable, decent” (un devoir correct), and in Quebec, where the t is silent, it is much more positive, “fine, OK”, partly under English influence.[9][3][1] Politiquement correct (about 1990) is a calque of American English politically correct.[10][3] Correctement dates from 1402 and incorrect from 1421.[3]

Timeline

  • 1382 – Anglo-Norman correct.[7]
  • 1402 – Correctement.[3]
  • 1421 – Incorrect.[3]
  • 1512 – Correct in Lemaire de Belges.[2]
  • Before 1696 – Of conduct, in La Bruyère.[2]
  • 1830 – Of dress, in Stendhal.[2]
  • c. 1990 – Politiquement correct.[10]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Correct, right: une réponse correcte, phrase grammaticalement correcte.[10][1]
  2. Proper, decent (of behaviour, dress): une tenue correcte, soyez correct !.[10][9]
  3. Fair, honest: correct en affaires.[10][11]
  4. (familiar) Acceptable, passable: un repas correct.[1][9]
  5. (Quebec) OK, fine: c'est correct.[1][3]
  6. Politiquement correct: politically correct.[10][1]

Word family

  • correctement
  • incorrect
  • incorrection
  • correctement
  • incorrect
  • incorrection
  • correctif
  • correction
  • corriger
  • incorrectement
  • Latin correctus
  • English correct

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 2, 1220a
  6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  7. ^ a b Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
  8. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  9. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  10. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  11. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)