distraction

Forms

distraction f (plural distractions)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin distractiō (“a pulling apart, separation”),^[2][1][3][4] from the supine of distrahō (“to pull apart”),^[5][3][6] which is formed from dis- and trahō (“to pull, draw”).^[5] It is the noun of action that goes with distraire.^[7][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in 1316, in a document of the Archives nationales, for the act of taking something away or separating it.^[2][7]

Semantic evolution

Borrowed with the Latin sense of separation, it was used in the classical period for taking a part away from a whole or diverting money from its purpose; in law a demande en distraction is still the claim of a third party whose property was wrongly included in a seizure.^[7][5][8]

Its modern senses arose in the 17th century: lack of attention (1650) and recreation (1653), the latter close to divertissement.^[7] Corneille spoke in 1651 of les vains amusements de la distraction, and Richelet in 1680 recorded the absent state of mind.^[2] By metonymy it came to mean an activity that relaxes.^[7] A sense “romantic lapse”, of the early 19th century, has gone out of use.^[7]

Timeline

• 1316 – First record, for separating or taking away.^[2][7]
• 1650 – It is used for inattention.^[7]
• 1651 – Corneille uses it for amusement.^[2][5]
• 1653 – The sense “recreation” is recorded.^[7]
• 1680 – Richelet records the sense “absent state of mind”.^[2]
• early 19th century – It is used for a lapse in love, a sense later lost.^[7]

Meanings

Noun

1. (dated) The act of separating something from a whole;^[8][5] (law) demande en distraction, a third party's claim to property wrongly seized.^[8][5]
2. Absent-mindedness, inattention: par distraction, elle a laissé la porte ouverte.^[8][4]
3. An act of inattention, a slip: avoir des distractions.^[8][4]
4. Recreation, amusement: il manque de distraction.^[4][1]
5. An activity that entertains, a pastime.^[4][8]

Related words

• distraire
• distrait
• Latin distractiō

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
5. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
6. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert