mensonge

Pronunciation

• IPA: /mɑ̃.sɔ̃ʒ/^[1]

Forms

mensonge m (plural mensonges)^[1] Old French mençunge (about 1100), mençonge (about 1160), mensonge (1188); also mensoigne, mençoigne.^[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French mençonge, inherited from Vulgar Latin *mentiōnica, derived from Late Latin mentiō (“lie”), recorded in the 6th century.^[2][3][5][1] The TLFi and Rey think this Late Latin word continues classical mentiō (“mention”) (see mention), through the sense “false mention”, rather than coming by haplology from *mentītiō, from the participle of mentior (“to lie”) (see mentir); the GLLF prefers the haplology.^[2][3][6] Another type, *mentiōnia, is behind Italian menzogna and Old French mensoigne.^[2][3][5][7] Bloch and Wartburg mention the idea that these words were formed in the language of the Church addressing the people.^[5]

It was feminine until the early 17th century, then masculine (first in 1530, Palsgrave), perhaps under the influence of songe “dream”, with which it had been paired in literature since the 12th century.^[2][3][5] Compare Old Occitan mensonega.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Chanson de Roland (about 1100) uses mençunge for a statement contrary to the truth: s'altre le dist, jà semblast grant mençonge “if another said it, it would seem a great lie”.^[2][3][4]

Semantic evolution

In the first half of the 12th century the Cambridge Psalter uses it for what is illusory, deceptive, and it was applied, continuing the ancient confusion of lying and imagination, to fiction in art.^[2][3] From 1273 it also meant the act or practice of lying.^[3][6] The proverb songe, mensonge “dreams are lies” is found in a fuller form in 1611.^[3]

Theologians distinguished kinds of lies, some of which survive: mensonge officieux “white lie” (1694), pieux mensonge (1826, Stendhal), which has passed into general use, and mensonge joyeux “a lie told in jest” (1874).^[2][3] The adjective mensonger (about 1120) gave way to menteur except in the sense “untrue, invented”.^[3]

Timeline

• c. 1100 – Mençunge, in the Chanson de Roland.^[2]
• 1st half of the 12th century – “Illusion”, in the Cambridge Psalter.^[2]
• c. 1160 – Mençonge, in the Roman d'Eneas.^[2]
• 1188 – Mensonge, in Aimon de Varennes.^[2]
• 1530 – First used as a masculine noun, in Palsgrave.^[2]
• 1694 – Mensonge officieux, in the Académie dictionary.^[2]
• 1826 – Pieux mensonge, in Stendhal.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. A lie, a falsehood: dire des mensonges, un tissu de mensonges, pieux mensonge, a white lie.^[8][1]
2. Lying, the practice of deceit.^[3][8]
3. (literary) An illusion, something deceptive.^[2][3]

Word family

• mensonger

Related words

• mentir
• menteur
• mention
• Latin mentior

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 p 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
5. ^ a b c d e Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
6. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
8. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert