initier

Forms

initier^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin initiō (“to initiate into the mysteries”), which in Imperial Latin also meant “to instruct, initiate into” and “to begin”.^[2][3][4] The Latin verb is from initium (“beginning, start”).^[2][3][5] Bloch and Wartburg note that the sense was widened in French.^[4]

The modern sense “to start, launch” is a semantic loan from initiate.^[1][3][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in Pierre Bersuire's translation of Livy (1364–1373), in the Latin sense “to admit to the knowledge of and participation in the mysteries of Antiquity”.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

From the ancient mysteries the verb extended to admission into a religion (1671) and into a secret society (late 17th century); Cotgrave already gives “to bring into a society” in 1611.^[3][2] The past participle initié is used as a noun from 1756 (Voltaire), above all of members of esoteric societies.^[3][2]

Alongside, with the idea of a beginning but without that of secrecy, it came to mean “to give someone the first elements of something” (1611, Cotgrave), especially of a science (1694, Académie), and figuratively “to introduce to things hard to reach” (late 17th century).^[3][2] In sub-Saharan African French the family keeps the strong sense of the rites that take a child into adulthood.^[3]

About the middle of the 20th century, under the influence of English to initiate, initier began to be used for “to take the initiative of, to launch”;^[3][6] Rey calls this use highly open to criticism.^[3][6] In business law initié was likewise calqued on English for a person who knows of capital movements unknown to the public, whence délit d'initié “insider dealing”.^[3][1]

Timeline

• 1364–1373 – Bersuire uses it of admission to the ancient mysteries.^[2][3]
• 1611 – Cotgrave records “to teach the first elements” and “to bring into a society”.^[2]
• 1671 – It is used of admission to a religion.^[3]
• 1694 – The Académie records it of a science.^[2][7]
• 1756 – Voltaire uses un initié as a noun.^[2]
• mid-20th century – The sense “to launch, start”, after English to initiate, appears.^[3]

Meanings

Verb

1. To admit someone to the knowledge of a cult or of secret rites; by extension, to admit to a religion, a secret society or a closed group: initier un novice aux rites d'une confrérie.^[6][2][7]
2. To let someone into a little-known body of knowledge, to reveal its secrets to them.^[6][5]
3. To be the first to teach someone, to give them the rudiments of a subject;^[6][2][5] s'initier à: to learn the basics of an art, science or trade.^[6][2][5]
4. (anglicism) To take the initiative of, to launch: initier un projet de recherche.^[6][1]

Word family

• initiative

Related words

• initiation
• initial
• initiateur
• Latin initium

References

1. ^ a b c d e 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 n Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, 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 Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse