forain

Forms

forain (feminine foraine, masculine plural forains, feminine plural foraines)^[1] Also a noun, forain (feminine foraine), a fairground showman or stallholder.^[1][2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French forain, inherited from Late Latin forānus, derived from forīs (“outside”).^{[3][4][5][1][6]} In Late Latin it is first recorded (5th–6th centuries) of the stones of a wall that project on the outer side, and then meant “foreign”.^[3][4] The same Latin word gave Old Occitan foran (“foreigner”);^[4][7] Bloch and Wartburg call it only Gallo-Romance.^[7]

The modern sense “of fairs” came by folk etymology from foire¹: the travelling merchants it described were first merchants from elsewhere, and since they went to the fairs, the adjective was taken for a derivative of the noun.^[3][7][4] Rey compares the dialect form ⟨foirain⟩.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded about 1155 in Wace's Brut, in de forain “outside”; about 1165 Benoît de Sainte-Maure uses it as an adjective for “outer, lying outside”.^[3][4]

Semantic evolution

From “outside” it came to mean “coming from outside, foreign” (about 1170), and also as a noun “stranger” (about 1179); in this sense it was driven out by étrange and étranger.^[3][4] The old sense survived in law (tribunal forain, traite foraine) and at sea in rade foraine, a roadstead open to the sea (1770).^[4][8][2]

Marchans forains (1400–1417) were merchants from elsewhere; from 1549 they were travelling merchants, and since the 18th century they have set up their stalls at markets and fairs.^[3][4][2] Hence forain as a noun for a fairground entertainer (1738), théâtre forain (1836) and fête foraine (early 20th century).^[3][4]

English took foreign (about 1300) from the Old French word.^[9]

Timeline

• c. 1155 – De forain “outside” in Wace's Brut.^[3]
• c. 1165 – Benoît de Sainte-Maure uses it for “outer”.^[3]
• c. 1170 – It means “foreign”.^[3][5]
• c. 1179 – Used as a noun, “stranger”, in the Roman de Renart.^[3]
• c. 1300 – English foreign is recorded.^[9]
• 1400-1417 – Nicolas de Baye writes of marchans forains.^[3]
• 1549 – Marchand forain “travelling merchant”.^[4][2]
• 1738 – Piron uses the noun for a fairground entertainer.^[3]
• 1770 – Rade foraine is recorded.^[4][8]
• 1836 – Quinet writes théâtres forains.^[3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (dated) Coming from outside, not local; at sea, rade foraine: a roadstead open to wind and waves.^[2][8]
2. (law) Audience foraine: a hearing held by a judge away from the seat of his court.^[2]
3. Relating to fairs: marchand forain, a merchant with no shop who sets up a stall at fairs and markets;^[2][3][1] fête foraine, a funfair.^[2][3][1]

Noun

1. A fairground showman or stallholder.^[1][2][4]

Related words

• fors
• dehors
• Latin forīs
• English foreign

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p 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
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 3, 703a
7. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
8. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com