Etymologically
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demande

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /də.mɑ̃d/[1]

Forms

demande f (plural demandes)[1]

Etymology

It is a deverbal noun from demander,[2][3][4][1] which continues Latin dēmandō (“to entrust, commit”); the sense “to ask” is found in nearly all the Romance languages, and the verb replaced classical interrogō for asking questions and petō for asking for things.[5] The Latin verb is formed on mandō (“to hand over, order”).[5] The economic sense was taken from English demand (1776, Adam Smith).[2]

Compare Old Occitan demanda, Spanish demanda and Italian dimanda;[6] Old French also had a masculine demant.[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Béroul's Tristan (about 1170) uses it for the act of making known what one wants.[2][4]

Semantic evolution

At the end of the 13th century it also meant the thing asked for, and about 1285 a question asked to learn something (Adam de la Halle, Robin et Marion).[2] In law it is a claim brought before a court (Beaumanoir, 1283), whence demandeur “plaintiff”.[2][5][6] Demande en mariage is a proposal made to a girl's parents.[4] The economic sense, opposed to supply, is in the French translation of Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations (1778).[2][7]

Timeline

  • c. 1170 – A request, in Béroul's Tristan.[2]
  • 1283 – A legal claim, in Beaumanoir.[2]
  • c. 1285 – A question, in Adam de la Halle.[2]
  • Late 13th century – The thing asked for.[2]
  • 1776 – English demand in Adam Smith.[2]
  • 1778 – Economic “demand”, in the French Adam Smith.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A Request: faire une demande, demande d'emploi, a job application, à la demande générale, by popular request.[8][4][1]
  2. Demande en mariage: a proposal of marriage.[4]
  3. (law) A claim, petition brought before a court.[2][4]
  4. (economics) Demand, as opposed to supply.[1][2]
  5. (dated) A question.[2]

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 n o 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. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  5. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  6. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
  8. ^ Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert