impromptu

Forms

impromptu (feminine impromptue, masculine plural impromptus, feminine plural impromptues)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin in prōmptū (“in view, at hand”), an adverbial phrase of in (“in”) and prōmptū, the ablative of prōmptus (“a being at someone's disposal”), a noun formed on the supine of prōmō (“to take out, bring forth”).^{[2][3][4][5][6]} The verb comes from an older compound of prō- and emō, which first meant “to take” and in Classical Latin “to buy”.^[3] From “in view, before everyone”, the phrase came to mean in French “on the spot, without preparation”.^[4][7] The musical sense was probably taken from German Impromptu, itself from French, which has it from 1827.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1651, in Loret's La Muse historique, as a noun for a piece improvised on the spot.^[2][3][4]

Semantic evolution

The noun first named a short occasional poem, in principle unprepared, and a short play written for a particular occasion or on a topical subject, as Molière's L'Impromptu de Versailles (1663); this is now a term of literary history.^[3][8] The general sense, anything done without preparation (1669), has gone out of use.^[3][2] The adjective, “improvised”, is found in Molière in 1673, and is used of a meal made from whatever is at hand from 1718.^[2][5] The adverbial phrase à l'impromptu (before 1755, Saint-Simon) has disappeared, and the plain adverb (1768, Rousseau) is literary and rare.^[3][2]

In music the noun names a short instrumental piece of free form, usually for the piano, from Chopin (before 1849).^[3][2] In 20th-century group psychology it has also been used for a happening.^[3]

Timeline

• 1651 – First recorded, in Loret's La Muse historique, for an improvised piece.^[2][4]
• 1663 – Molière's L'Impromptu de Versailles.^[3][8]
• 1669 – Widerhold records the sense “anything done without preparation”.^[2]
• 1673 – First used as an adjective, by Molière.^[2][5]
• Before 1755 – Saint-Simon uses à l'impromptu.^[2]
• 1768 – Rousseau uses it as an adverb.^[2]
• Before 1849 – Chopin's Impromptus give the musical sense.^[2][3]

Meanings

Noun

1. (literary history) A short piece of verse or a short play composed for an occasion, in principle without preparation.^[8][9][10]
2. (music) A short instrumental piece of free form, usually for the piano.^[8][9][3]

Adjective

1. Improvised, unplanned: une fête impromptue, un déjeuner impromptu.^[8][2][10]

Adverb

1. (dated) On the spot, without preparation: répondre impromptu.^[8][9][3]

Related words

• prompt
• Latin prōmptus

Usage notes

The Grand Robert gives the pronunciation /ɛ̃pʁɔmpty/, with the ⟨m⟩ sounded, as faulty but common.^[11]

References

1. ^ a b 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. ^ 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
4. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 9, 444a
7. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ a b c Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
10. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
11. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert