pervenche

Pronunciation

• IPA: /pɛʁ.vɑ̃ʃ/^[1]

Forms

pervenche f (plural pervenches)^[1] Old French parvenche (1225–1230).^[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French parvenche, inherited from Late Latin pervinca,^{[2][3][4][5][1][6]} a form implied by Italian pervinca and Catalan pervinca,^[2][3] short for Latin vincapervinca, the plant's Latin name.^[2][3][7] The name seems to come from a magic formula;^[2][3][1] it has been connected with vincō (“to conquer”) or vinciō (“to bind”).^[2][3] Littré thought the plant was named for conquering diseases.^[8]

The simple Late Latin vinca gave Old French venche (about 1220), still used in eastern and Picard dialects.^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Guillaume de Lorris's part of the Roman de la Rose (1225–1230) has parvenche for the plant.^[2][7]

Semantic evolution

The plant, with its blue-mauve flowers in shady woodland, was dear to Rousseau, as Nerval recalls.^[7][9] From the flower the word named a colour: couleur pervenche (1900), pervenche alone (1909), and the invariable adjective (des yeux pervenche).^[2][3][9]

In 1978 the women traffic wardens of the Paris police were nicknamed pervenches when their uniforms changed colour; they had earlier been called aubergines.^[3][9][1]

Timeline

• c. 1220 – Old French venche.^[2][3]
• 1225–1230 – Parvenche (Roman de la Rose).^[2]
• 1800 – Petite pervenche.^[7]
• 1900 – Couleur pervenche.^[2][3]
• 1978 – A Paris traffic warden.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. A periwinkle, the plant Vinca.^[9][1]
2. A pale blue-mauve colour.^[9][2]
3. (familiar) A female traffic warden in Paris.^[9][1]

Adjective

1. Periwinkle-blue (invariable): des yeux pervenche.^[9]

Related words

• English periwinkle

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g 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 g h i j k l Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 14, 461b
7. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ a b c d e f g Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert