langage

Forms

langage m (plural langages)^[1] Old French lengatge and language; the form langage is found from about 1160.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is formed from French langue + -age.^[2][4][5][6] Littré likewise derives it from Latin lingua (“tongue”) with a suffix that continues -āticus.^[7] Wiktionary instead derives it from Vulgar Latin *linguāticum.^[1]

Cognate with Occitan lengatge, Catalan llenguatge, Spanish lenguaje and Italian linguaggio.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found as lengatge in the Passion of the late 10th century, meaning the way of speaking of a group, a language.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

From the 12th century until the classical period the word also meant speech or words spoken (about 1131), sometimes with the scornful sense “chatter” (14th century).^[8][3] It named the speech of a people or country (about 1138) and of one person (late 12th century), and was applied, loosely, to the cries of animals (about 1130).^[8] Guernes de Pont-Sainte-Maxence boasts in 1174–76 that his language is good, since he was born in France.^[2]

From the 14th century it referred to the form of a language, its correctness and register;^[2][8] Oresme has comun langage “everyday speech” in 1370–72.^[2][8] In the 17th century it was defined as a system of signs for expression and communication (1662), and since 1867 it has been extended to any system of signs, as in le langage des fleurs.^[8] In 1810 Madame de Staël used it for the means an artist uses to express ideas.^[2] Modern linguistics opposes langage, the general faculty, to langue, a particular system.^[8]

Timeline

• c. 980 – Lengatge appears in the Passion.^[2][3]
• c. 1130 – Used of the cries of animals.^[8][3]
• c. 1160 – The form langage appears, in the Roman d'Eneas.^[2]
• 14th century – It takes the sense “chatter”.^[8]
• 1370–72 – Oresme uses comun langage.^[2]
• 1382 – The derivative langagier is recorded.^[8]
• 1662 – Defined as a system of signs.^[8][3]
• 1810 – Madame de Staël uses it of an artist's means of expression.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. The human faculty of expressing thought and communicating by a system of spoken or written signs.^[9][2]
2. A system of signs serving the same purpose: langage naturel, langage formel.^[9]
3. (computing) A coded set of signs for writing programs: langage de programmation, langage machine.^[9][1]
4. By extension, a system of expression likened to language: le langage des abeilles, le langage des fleurs.^[9]
5. A way of speaking proper to a person, group or profession, or a register: le langage des marins.^[2][8]

Word family

• langagier

Related words

• langue
• Latin lingua

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 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 Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
4. ^ 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, 361a
6. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert