penser

Pronunciation

• IPA: /pɑ̃.se/^[1]

Forms

penser^[1]

Etymology

It is a learned form borrowed from Latin pēnsō (“to weigh; to appraise, ponder”), which probably took the sense “to think” in Late Latin; it is the frequentative of pendō (“to weigh”).^[2][3][4][5] The sense “to think” is found in Latin by the 6th century.^[6] By the regular sound changes, in which /n/ fell before /s/, “pēnsāre” gave peser, “penser” can only have come from the written language.^[6][3] Wiktionary, however, treats “penser” as inherited, with “peser” as its doublet.^[1]

panser “to dress (a wound)” is the same word specialized in the sense “to take care of”; the two spellings were used to separate the senses from the 16th century.^[6][3] Cognate with Italian pensare, Occitan pensar, Catalan pensar, Spanish pensar and Portuguese pensar.^[7][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in the Passion de Clermont (late 10th century) in the sense “to reflect, concentrate one's mind on something”, and in the same text as a verb of opinion, “to deem, imagine”.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

Old and Middle French used constructions that have disappeared: se penser quelque chose “to think of, intend” (1080, Chanson de Roland), which survives only in southern regional French under Occitan influence, penser de with an infinitive “to set about, try to” (about 1160) and “to intend to”, still found in Montesquieu (1721); and penser “to be absorbed in sad or anxious thoughts” (after 1150).^[3][2]

The modern uses took shape in the 12th century: penser que “to believe that” (1155, Wace) and penser with an infinitive “to believe” (about 1165).^[2][3] À then replaced de: penser à meant “to think lovingly of someone” (about 1165), “to remember, reflect on” (about 1200), “not to forget” (1306, Joinville) and “to provide for” (1636), as in penser à tout (1762).^[3][2] Phrases include n'en penser pas moins (1377), penser à mal (1393), penser tout haut (1798) and bien penser “to hold the approved political opinions” (1823), now alive only in bien-pensant; the ironic pensez-vous ! is recorded in 1935.^[3][2]

Timeline

• Late 10th century – Penser in the Passion de Clermont.^[2]
• 1080 – Se penser in the Chanson de Roland.^[3]
• 1155 – Penser que “to believe that”, in Wace.^[2]
• 1155 – The infinitive used as a noun, un penser.^[4]
• c. 1165 – Penser à someone one loves, in the Roman de Troie.^[2]
• 1306 – Penser à “not to forget”, in Joinville.^[2]
• 1393 – Penser à mal in the Ménagier de Paris.^[2]
• 1798 – Penser tout haut in the Académie dictionary.^[2][8]
• 1935 – Pensez-vous ? in the Académie dictionary.^[2]

Meanings

Verb

1. To think, to use one's mind to form ideas and judgments: Je pense, donc je suis.^[8][7]
2. Penser à: to think of, to remember, to take into account: Pense à fermer la porte.^[9][3]
3. To believe, be of the opinion that: Je pense qu'il viendra.^[10][2]
4. With an infinitive: to intend to, or to believe one does something: Je pense partir demain.^[2][10]
5. To have an opinion of someone or something: Que pensez-vous de ce livre ?^[2][9]
6. To conceive, devise: penser un projet.^[11][2]
7. Pensez-vous !, penses-tu !: an ironic denial, “not at all”.^[3][2]

Word family

• pensable
• pensée
• penseur
• repenser
• pensif
• impensable
• bien-pensant
• pense-bête

Related words

• peser
• Latin pēnsō

Usage notes

The infinitive is used as a masculine noun, un penser “a thought” (since 1155), now archaic or literary: Sur des pensers nouveaux faisons des vers antiques (André Chénier).^[4][7]

References

1. ^ a b c 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 q r 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c 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. 8, 194a
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 c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
9. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
10. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
11. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette