correspondre

Forms

correspondre^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Medieval Latin correspondeō (“to correspond, to harmonize”), recorded in Medieval Latin from 1236, and also used there for “to repay in kind” (about 1300) and, with dē, for “to give an account of” (about 1290).^[2][3] Bloch and Wartburg call the source scholastic Latin.^[4][5] The Latin verb is formed from cum (“with”) and respondeō (“to answer”), the source of répondre.^[3][6][7] Littré notes that the ⟨s⟩ of the Latin was kept because the word entered French late.^[8]

Cognate with Spanish corresponder and Italian corrispondere.^[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record is the present participle correspondant in Guillaume de Digulleville's Pèlerinage de vie humaine (1330–1332), meaning “in conformity or symmetry with something else”.^[2][3] The verb itself is first found before 1380 in Pierre Bersuire's translation of Livy, meaning “to be in relation with”.^[2][4]

Semantic evolution

Most Middle French and classical French examples are of the participle correspondant.^[3] Until the 17th century the verb and the participle were used only with à, for being in conformity with something; the participle then specialized in geometry, in angles correspondants (1762).^[3][2]

From 1690 the verb is also used without an object and as a reflexive, of two places or things that communicate, as rooms joined by a passage.^[3][2] It was used of people exchanging messages, by letter or by signs, from 1795, long after the noun correspondant “person one writes to” (1615).^[3][2] In 1874 Flaubert uses it of a train or coach whose timetable connects with another's.^[2][3]

Timeline

• 1330–1332 – The participle correspondant appears in Guillaume de Digulleville.^[2][3]
• Before 1380 – Bersuire uses the verb correspondre.^[2][4]
• 1615 – Correspondant is used as a noun for a business correspondent.^[2][3]
• 1690 – Furetière records the reflexive use of two houses joined by an underground passage.^[2]
• 1694 – The Académie records correspondant for a person reporting from abroad by letter.^[2][3]
• 1762 – Angles correspondants is recorded in geometry.^[2][3]
• 1795 – Madame de Genlis uses correspondre of people communicating.^[2]
• 1874 – Flaubert uses it of connecting means of transport.^[2][3]

Meanings

Verb

1. Correspondre à: to match, be in conformity with, fit: ce candidat correspond au profil recherché.^[5][7]
2. Correspondre à: to be the equivalent of, have a counterpart in.^[5]
3. Correspondre à: to meet or satisfy (a need, a wish).^[5]
4. To correspond, exchange letters (with someone): nous correspondons depuis dix ans.^[5][8]
5. (dated) Of rooms or places: to communicate, be connected by a passage.^[5][8]
6. Of trains, buses and the like: to connect with another line.^[2][1]
7. Se correspondre: to correspond to each other.^[5][8]

Word family

• correspondance
• correspondant

Related words

• répondre
• Medieval Latin correspondeō

References

1. ^ a b c 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 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 Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ a b c d e f g Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, 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. ^ a b c d e Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette