disserter

Forms

disserter^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin dissertō (“to discuss, expound”), an imperial Latin verb.^[2][3] The TLFi dates the borrowing to 1722 in Marivaux; the DHLF gives 1722 in Saint-Simon, the Grand Robert and the GLLF the end of the 17th century in Saint-Simon, and Bloch and Wartburg 1723.^{[2][3][4][5][6]}

The Latin verb is the frequentative of disserō (“to set out ideas in order, discuss”), from dis- and serō (“to join, link”), the verb behind série.^[3][4][7] Cognate with Italian dissertare.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in Marivaux's Spectateur français in 1722, meaning to set out arguments on a learned subject.^[2]

Semantic evolution

The French verb kept the Latin sense, but it is intransitive (disserter sur, disserter de).^[3][5] By extension it took on the same pejorative shade as discourir, of talking at tedious and pedantic length; the GLLF dates this second sense to Marivaux in 1723.^[3][5][8]

The noun dissertation had been borrowed earlier, in 1645, from Latin dissertatio.^[3][6] The verb produced dissertateur (1722) and the adjective dissertant (1836).^[3]

Timeline

• 1645 – The noun dissertation is borrowed.^[3][6]
• 1722 – Marivaux uses disserter.^[2][3]
• 1722 – The derivative dissertateur appears.^[3]
• 1723 – The sense “hold forth at length” is recorded in Marivaux.^[5]
• 1836 – The adjective dissertant appears.^[3]

Meanings

Verb

1. (intransitive) To set out and discuss a subject methodically, in writing or more often aloud; to discourse on: disserter sur l'histoire de la ville.^[2][8][9]
2. (pejorative) To hold forth at tedious length: il dissertait sans fin sur ses voyages.^[8][3]

Word family

• dissertateur
• dissertant

Related words

• dissertation
• discourir
• série
• Latin dissertō

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
6. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)