entortiller

Forms

entortiller^[1] Old French entorteillier, also entorteler; the spelling entortiller is recorded in 1530.^[2][3]

Etymology

Its origin is disputed.^[4][5] The TLFi, Rey and Bloch and Wartburg think it is probably inherited from Vulgar Latin *intortiliō, from Latin tortilis (“twisted, coiling”), an adjective formed on tortum, the supine of torqueō (“to turn, twist”).^[4][6][7][8] They rest this on the age of the verb and on its Romance counterparts: Spanish entortijar, Catalan entortellar, Romanian întortochea and, with another prefix, Italian attortigliare.^[4][6][7] On this view tortiller is a shortened form of this verb.^[6]

The other explanation makes it a derivative of Old French entort, the past participle of entordre (“to twist”) (compare entorse), the verbs of the other Romance languages then having been formed separately in each.^[4][6] Bloch and Wartburg find this possible but less likely,^[7] while the Grand Robert, the Petit Robert and the GLLF give it as the origin.^[5][9][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found about 1190 in the Roman de Renart, as entorteilliez, meaning wrapped up in something twisted round to close or tighten it.^[4][6]

Semantic evolution

From wrapping a thing in something twisted round it, the verb came to mean winding something round an object (late 12th century), and the pronominal s'entortiller “to wind oneself round” is found from the 13th century.^[6] In Anglo-Norman it also meant to bandage and to coil.^[3]

The figurative use for a convoluted way of speaking or writing appears in the 17th century: Richelet records entortiller son stile in 1680, and the pronominal follows in 1704.^[4][6] Since the early 19th century (Balzac, 1831) it has also meant to get round a person by cunning, like envelopper and embobiner.^[4][6]

Timeline

• c. 1190 – Entorteilliez appears in the Roman de Renart.^[4]
• 13th century – The pronominal s'entortiller is recorded.^[6]
• before 1374 – The derivative entortillement appears, first for captious reasoning.^[6]
• 1530 – Palsgrave has the spelling entortiller.^[2]
• 1680 – Richelet records entortiller son stile.^[4][2]
• 1754 – The noun entortillage is recorded.^[6]
• 1831 – Balzac uses it for getting round someone by trickery.^[4][6]

Meanings

Verb

1. (transitive) To wrap something in something twisted round it, or to twist something round an object: entortiller un cadeau dans du papier journal.^[9][4][1]
2. (pronominal) S'entortiller: to wind or coil round something, to get tangled: la glycine s'entortille autour du poteau.^[9][1]
3. (figurative) To get round someone by cunning, to beguile: il a fini par entortiller son patron.^[9][4][1]
4. (figurative) To make speech or writing convoluted: des phrases entortillées.^[9][10][1]

Word family

• entortillement
• entortillage

Related words

• tortiller
• tordre
• entorse
• Latin torqueō

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
3. ^ a b Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l 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
5. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ 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
7. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
8. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 4, 768b
9. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
10. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette