Etymologically
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gens

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ʒɑ̃/[1]
  • IPA (Canada): /ʒã/[1]
  • IPA: /ʒɑ̃s/[1]
  • IPA (Louisiana): /ʒɑ̃(s)/[1]

Forms

gens m pl (plural only)[1]

Etymology

It is the old plural of gent, inherited from Old French genz, inherited from Latin gēns (“clan, family, people”) (accusative “gentem”).[2][3][4][1] The Latin word is from gignō (“to beget”), from the Indo-European root Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh₁- (“to beget, be born”).[3][5]

In Latin “gēns” first meant the clan of those descended in the male line from one ancestor, then the family, the people; in the imperial period “gentēs” meant “foreign nations”, hence Christian “gentes” “pagans”, and it also came to be a synonym of hominēs (“people”).[2][3] This use gave the plural its masculine gender, though Old French “gent” was feminine; an adjective placed just before the noun keeps the feminine (“les vieilles gens”).[2][3][5]

Cognate with Italian gente, Spanish gente, Portuguese gente, Catalan gent and Occitan gent.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

At the end of the 10th century the Passion of Clermont has the singular tota la gent “all the people” and the plural per totas genz.[2]

Semantic evolution

From the start it meant an indefinite number of persons.[2][3] About 1100 the singular, and later the plural, named the people under someone's authority (ses genz, 1176–81), whence “servants” (about 1130) and “soldiers” (1273).[2][3]

From about 1207 les gens meant people in general, with adjectives: bonnes gens (about 1207), petites gens (late 15th century), vieilles gens (about 1530) and jeunes gens (1538), the last now the plural of jeune homme.[3][6] Phrases for a profession or station followed: gens d'armes (whence gendarme), gens d'Église (about 1360), gens de lettres (1544).[2][3] Until the 18th century one could say dix gens, cent gens; today gens is not used with an exact number.[7][5]

Timeline

  • Late 10th century – Gent and genz in the Passion of Clermont.[2]
  • c. 1100 – Sa gent, a lord's followers, in the Chanson de Roland.[2]
  • c. 1207 – Bonnes gens in Villehardouin.[6][3]
  • 13th century – First masculine uses of the plural.[3][2]
  • 1538 – Jeunes gens in Robert Estienne.[6]
  • 1544 – Gens de lettres in Calvin.[2]
  • 1668 – Droit des gens, the law of nations.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. people: persons in indefinite number: beaucoup de gens, des gens flânaient.[5][8]
  2. People in general, others: les gens sont influencés par la publicité.[8]
  3. With a qualifier: bonnes gens, petites gens, jeunes gens “young people”.[5][9]
  4. People of a profession or station: gens de lettres, gens de maison, gens du voyage.[8][5]
  5. (dated) A person's servants or followers: partir avec ses gens.[8]
  • gent
  • gentil
  • gendarme
  • Latin gēns

Usage notes

A separate learned word gens (pronounced /ʒɛ̃s/), borrowed from Latin in 1834, is the Roman clan: la gens Cornelia.[3][7][6] Popular speech sometimes sounds the s (/ʒɑ̃s/), which writers mocked with the spelling gensses.[2][10]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ 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
  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. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 4, 107a
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  7. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  8. ^ a b c d Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
  9. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
  10. ^ Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF