murmurer

Pronunciation

• IPA: /myʁ.my.ʁe/^[1]

Forms

murmurer^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin murmurō (“to murmur, mutter; to grumble; to rumble, crackle”), from murmur (“rumble, low noise”).^{[2][3][4][5][6][1]} The noun is expressive, probably imitative, with counterparts in Armenian, Ancient Greek μορμύρω (mormúrō, “to roar, boil”) and Sanskrit मर्मर (marmara, “rustling”).^[3][5] The sense of grumbling was developed especially in the language of the Bible.^[2][3] Rey suggests that the weakening to “speak softly” may be linked with the change of Latin /u/ to French /y/.^[3]

Compare Occitan murmurar, Spanish murmurar and Italian mormorare.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Psautier d'Oxford (first half of the 12th century) uses it for grumbling, protesting under one's breath: murmurerent en lur tabernacles “they murmured in their tents”.^[2][7]

Semantic evolution

Chrétien de Troyes's Cligès (1176) has it transitively for speaking in a low voice, and the intransitive use follows in the 13th century.^[2][3] About 1200 Jean Renart uses it of a stream, a use very frequent in Ronsard (Au son des vers que tu murmures).^[2][7] Amyot (mid-16th century) has murmurer entre leurs dents.^[7][5] The noun murmure dates from about 1170.^[3]

Timeline

• First half of the 12th century – “To grumble”, Psautier d'Oxford.^[2]
• c. 1170 – The noun murmure.^[3]
• 1176 – “To speak softly”, Chrétien de Troyes.^[2]
• c. 1200 – Of a stream, Jean Renart.^[2]

Meanings

Verb

1. To murmur, say in a low voice: murmurer quelques mots à l'oreille de quelqu'un.^[8][1]
2. To grumble, complain under one's breath: obéir sans murmurer.^[8][2]
3. (literary) Of water, leaves, wind: to make a soft sound.^[8][2]

Word family

• murmurant
• murmurateur

Related words

• murmure

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 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 6/3, 230b
7. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert