Etymologically
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jouer

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Pronunciation

Forms

jouer[1] Old French juer, joer (about 1100–1170); jouer from the 13th century.[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French joer, inherited from Latin iocor (“to jest, joke”), from iocus (“jest”), the source of jeu.[4][2][5][6][1] In late Latin “iocārī” replaced lūdō (“to play”) and took over its senses, “to play a game”, “to take exercise”, “to play a part” and “to mock, deceive”, just as “iocus” replaced lūdus.[4][2][5]

Cognate with Romanian juca, Italian giocare, Occitan jogar, Spanish jugar and Portuguese jogar.[7][8]

Earliest recorded meaning

About 1100 the Chanson de Roland has juer “to amuse oneself” and juer as eschecs “to play chess”: As eschez juent pur els esbaneier “they play at chess to divert themselves”.[4][8]

Semantic evolution

The first sense, “to amuse oneself, jest”, also had a reflexive form se jouer (about 1165), later kept for “to frolic” and se jouer de “to make light of, mock” (1671).[4][2] From the start it was used with à for games, especially games of chance, jouer de with a musical instrument dates from about 1225, and jouer le personnage, to play a part, from about 1400.[4][2]

From the 13th century jouer de also meant to move a part of the body, and in 1616 faire jouer l'artillerie.[4] From 1559 it meant “to move freely”, of a balance; later of a door or joint that no longer fits (1867).[4][2] Rey sees the influence of English play in transitive sports uses such as jouer un adversaire.[2] In Swiss French ça joue means “that works”.[2]

Timeline

  • c. 1100 – Juer and juer as eschecs in the Chanson de Roland.[4]
  • c. 1165 – Reflexive se joer in Benoît de Sainte-Maure.[4]
  • c. 1225 – Jouer de a musical instrument.[4]
  • c. 1400 – Jouer le personnage, to play a part.[4]
  • 1559 – Used of a balance that moves freely.[4]
  • 1671 – Se jouer des difficultés.[4]
  • 1715 – The children's word joujou.[5]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To play, amuse oneself: les enfants jouent.[9][10]
  2. Jouer à: to play a game or sport: jouer aux cartes, jouer au football.[1][11]
  3. Jouer de: to play a musical instrument: jouer du piano.[1][4]
  4. To play, perform (a piece, a role); to act: jouer Hamlet.[1][2]
  5. To gamble, stake: jouer sa fortune.[1][11]
  6. To move freely; of wood or a joint, to warp, have play.[10][2]
  7. Se jouer de: to make light of, (dated) to deceive.[1][4]

Word family

  • déjouer
  • jouable
  • jouet
  • joueur
  • rejouer
  • joujou

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o 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
  5. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 5, 36a
  7. ^ Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
  8. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  9. ^ Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  10. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
  11. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)