incongru

Forms

incongru (feminine incongrue, masculine plural incongrus, feminine plural incongrues)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Late Latin incongruus (“unbecoming, inconsistent, absurd”),^{[2][3][4][5][6]} formed from in- (“not”) and congruus (“fitting, suitable”), from congruō (“to agree, coincide”).^[7][3][8]

Bloch and Wartburg date it to 1496 and the Grand Larousse to 1495;^[4][7] the TLFi and the Robert give Jean Le Fèvre, about 1370.^[2][3][9]

Earliest recorded meaning

About 1370 Jean Le Fèvre's Lamentations de Matheolus uses it for what is not fitting, contrary to custom and propriety.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

Rey notes that it spread in everyday French much more widely than congru, and that from “improper, offending custom” it slid towards “absurd, surprising”.^[5] Its special uses, of a phrase that breaks the rules of grammar and of a person who lacks manners (1659, Molière, Les Précieuses ridicules), have become dated.^[5][2][8] The adverb incongrûment is recorded from 1377, in Oresme.^[2][5]

Timeline

• c. 1370 – Jean Le Fèvre uses incongru “improper”.^[2]
• 1377 – The adverb incongruement appears in Oresme.^[2]
• c. 1501 – Incongruité is taken from Late Latin.^[5]
• 1659 – Molière uses it of a person lacking manners.^[2]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Incongruous, out of place, improper; unexpected and surprising: une remarque incongrue.^[2][9][1]
2. (euphemism) Of a bodily noise: rude, such as a belch.^[9]
3. (dated) Of a person: lacking manners.^[9][2][8]
4. (grammar, dated) Breaking the rules of syntax.^[8][7]

Word family

• incongrûment

Related words

• congru
• incongruité
• Latin incongruus

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
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 c d e Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 2, 1051a
7. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert