dicter

Forms

dicter^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin dictō (“to say repeatedly, dictate, prescribe”), the frequentative of dīcō (“to say”).^[2][3][4][5] The borrowing replaced the inherited Old French ditier “to compose, write (a letter)”, recorded from 1174–1176.^[2][4][6]

Cognate with Spanish dictar.^[7] Old Occitan had the inherited dechar, sometimes remade as dictar after Latin.^[7][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It first appears before 1483, in a text of Louis XI cited by Littré, in the participle lettre dictée with the sense “to draw up, write”.^[2][4]

Semantic evolution

Old French ditier had meant to compose a letter or a poem and, around 1200, to prescribe or order.^[2][6] The borrowed dicter took the sense “to prescribe, impose” in Montaigne (1580), and in 1606 Nicot records it for saying aloud, especially reading out a text for someone to write down.^[2][4][8]

The feminine past participle became the noun dictée in the 17th century;^[4][6] Richelet (1680) calls it a schoolboys' and philosophers' word, and compulsory schooling later tied it to spelling exercises.^[4][6] The phrase sous la dictée dates from 1752.^[4]

Timeline

• 1174–1176 – The inherited ditier “to compose a letter” in Guernes de Pont-Sainte-Maxence.^[2][4]
• before 1483 – Lettre dictée “letter drawn up”.^[2]
• 1580 – Montaigne uses it for “to prescribe”.^[2][8]
• 1606 – Nicot records it for “to say aloud”.^[2][4]
• 1680 – Richelet records the noun dictée.^[4][6]
• 1752 – Sous la dictée is recorded.^[4]

Meanings

Verb

1. To say a text aloud, word by word, for someone else to write it down: elle dicte un courriel à son assistant.^[9][10][7]
2. To tell someone in advance what to say or do; of a thing, to inspire or determine: on lui a dicté ses réponses.^[9][11]
3. To lay down and impose: dicter ses conditions.^[9][7]

Word family

• dictée
• dictaphone

Related words

• dire
• diction
• Latin dictō

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 3, 71a
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c d e f Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
9. ^ a b c Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
10. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
11. ^ Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert