déclamation

Forms

déclamation f (plural déclamations)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin dēclāmātiō (“exercise in public speaking”), also “theme for such an exercise” and “commonplace speech”, formed on the supine of dēclāmō (“to declaim”).^[2][3][4][5] Etymonline analyses the Latin verb as dē- and clāmō (“to cry, shout”).^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in 1375 in Raoul de Presles's French translation of Augustine's City of God, for an oratorical exercise; in 1404 Nicolas de Baye names la IIIe declamation de Seneque.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

The word first named the exercises in eloquence of the Roman schools of rhetoric, such as the Declamationes of Quintilian.^[2][3] By extension it took the often pejorative sense of an emphatic speech or a bombastic style, first in Racine's preface to Britannicus in 1669.^[2][3][7] The sense “the art of delivering a text before an audience” is dated by the GLLF to Rollin in 1738.^[7] Littré notes that in the old university it also named a school composition.^[5] Like déclamateur and déclamatoire, it took on its pejorative value in the 17th century.^[3]

Timeline

• 1375 – Raoul de Presles uses it for an oratorical exercise.^[2][3]
• 1404 – Nicolas de Baye names a declamation of Seneca.^[2]
• 1669 – Racine uses it of affected, emphatic speech.^[2][7]
• 1738 – Rollin uses it for the art of public delivery.^[7]
• 1785 – Mme de Staël speaks of her talent de déclamation.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. The art of reciting a text expressively before an audience; elocution, oratory: Elle suit des cours de chant et de déclamation.^[8][2]
2. (Roman antiquity) An exercise in éloquence on commonplace themes, practised in the schools of rhetoricians.^[2][7]
3. (pejorative) The use of pompous, emphatic language;^[8][7][2] (dated) a pompous speech or phrase.^[8][7][2]
4. (music) The way a sung text is set and delivered.^[2]

Related words

• déclamer
• déclamatoire
• déclamateur
• clamer
• Latin dēclāmātiō
• English declamation

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 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 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. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
7. ^ a b c d e f g Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert