juge

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ʒyʒ/^[1]

Forms

juge m (plural juges)^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Latin iūdex (“judge, arbiter”), through its accusative;^[2][3][4][5] its sound development followed that of the verb juger.^[2][6][7] The Latin word is formed from iūs (“law, right”) and dīcō (“to say, show”): properly “the one who shows the law by speaking”.^[3][4] Rey, after Benveniste, sees in it the old Indo-European tie between “law” and “saying”.^[3]

Cognate with Romanian jude, Italian giudice, Old Occitan jutge, Spanish juez and Portuguese juiz.^[7][8]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Livre des Rois (about 1170) uses it for one who settles a dispute, and also for the political and religious leaders of the Hebrews before the kings, as in the Book of Judges.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

The legal sense “magistrate who applies the law” is recorded from 1174, in Guernes de Pont-Sainte-Maxence.^[2][3] Jean de Meun (1269–1278) uses it for anyone called on to give an opinion, and, from 1564 juge de means “competent to judge”.^[2] God is vray juge in 1356, and about 1510 a juge was the umpire of a combat.^[2] Beaumanoir already says that no one should be juges et partie in his own case, the king excepted.^[8]

The growing specialization of judges is reflected in compounds: juge de paix (1688, Miège, for England; adopted in France in 1790), juge-commissaire (1806) and juge d'instruction (1810).^[9][6] Rey gives an earlier date, 1660, for juge de paix,^[3] which in underworld slang meant what settles a quarrel: a cudgel (1800), later a pistol.^[3] The Swiss equivalent of a juge d'instruction is a juge informateur.^[3]

Timeline

• c. 1170 – An arbiter, and the Judges of Israel, in the Livre des Rois.^[2]
• 1174 – A magistrate, in Guernes de Pont-Sainte-Maxence.^[2]
• 1269–1278 – One who gives an opinion, in the Roman de la Rose.^[2]
• 1356 – Vray juge, of God.^[2]
• c. 1510 – The umpire of a combat.^[2]
• 1688 – Juge de paix, of England (Miège).^[2][9]
• 1790 – Juge de paix adopted in France.^[6][9]
• 1810 – Juge d'instruction in the Penal Code.^[9]

Meanings

Noun

1. (law) A judge, a magistrate who applies the law and dispenses justice, juge d'instruction, an examining magistrate, juge de paix, a justice of the peace.^[10][9][1]
2. A person called on to settle a dispute, an arbiter; in sport, a judge or referee: juge de ligne, juge de touche.^[2][1]
3. A person who gives an opinion, who is competent to judge: être bon juge, être juge et partie, to judge one's own case.^[2][8]
4. (Bible) One of the Judges, the leaders of Israel before the kings.^[2][3]

Related words

• juger
• jugement
• judiciaire
• juridique
• Latin iudex

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ 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
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 5, 55a
6. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ a b Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
8. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
10. ^ Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert