fanfare

Forms

fanfare f (plural fanfares)^[1]

Etymology

It is probably of onomatopoeic origin.^{[2][3][4][1][5][6]} Rey notes that Spanish fanfarria has been traced to an Arabic verb meaning “to flap the wings”, and that if the word first meant a musical parade, as in Rabelais, it would be related to fanfaron.^[7] The verb fanfarer is recorded from 1532, also in Rabelais.^[4]

That word was borrowed in 1609 from Spanish fanfarrón (“braggart”), which the TLFi derives from the same imitative root;^[2][8] Etymonline mentions the alternative that the group goes back to an Arabic word for a chatterer, beside Italian fanfano (“babbler”).^[2][8] Littré compared Old Spanish fanfa (“boasting”), while recording that Diez took the word for an onomatopoeia.^[9]

Earliest recorded meaning

It first appears in the burlesque title Les fanfares de Rome, one of the books of the library of Saint-Victor in Rabelais's Pantagruel (1542 in the TLFi's edition, 1532 in the Grand Robert and Rey).^[2][5][7] In the Quart Livre (1548–1552) Rabelais uses it for a horse's parade to music.^[2]

Semantic evolution

Its usual sense is a lively, rhythmic air played on brass instruments such as trumpets and horns, especially at military or civic celebrations; from 1658 it also named the hunting call that tells the huntsmen how the chase is going.^[2][10][6] Rey dates its use for a band of brass instruments to Rabelais (1532);^[7] the GLLF records it for a brass band only from Littré (1865).^[10]

From 1587, in François de La Noue, it meant by analogy a loud and showy display, a sense close to that of fanfaronnade;^[2][7][9] in literary use it is also any burst of brilliant sound.^[10] In the 19th century a style of bookbinding with rich gilded ornament was called reliure à la fanfare.^[7]

English took fanfare about 1600 for a flourish on a trumpet or bugle.^[8]

Timeline

• 1542 – Rabelais's Pantagruel has the book title Les fanfares de Rome.^[2]
• 1548–1552 – Rabelais uses it for a horse's parade to music.^[2]
• 1587 – François de La Noue uses it for a noisy, ostentatious display.^[2][10]
• c. 1600 – English borrows it for a flourish of trumpets.^[8]
• 1658 – It is used in hunting, in Scarron.^[2]
• 1865 – Littré records it for a band of brass instruments.^[10]

Meanings

Noun

1. (music) A fanfare, a lively, rhythmic air played by trumpets or other brass instruments, especially a military one.^[6][2][9]
2. (hunting) A horn call announcing a stage of the chase.^[6][9][10]
3. A brass band, sometimes with percussion, and its players: la fanfare du village.^[6][9][1]
4. (figurative) En fanfare: with a great deal of noise and show, as in un réveil en fanfare.^[6]
5. (literary) A burst of loud, brilliant sound.^[10][2]

Related words

• fanfaron
• fanfaronnade
• fanfarer

Usage notes

In bookbinding, reliure à la fanfare names a richly gilded binding of the kind made in the 19th century.^[7]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m 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. 23, 145b
4. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
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 Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
9. ^ a b c d e Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
10. ^ a b c d e f g Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse