polariser

Forms

polariser^[1]

Etymology

It is a learned formation from French polaire + -iser.^[2][3][4] The base adjective goes back to Middle French polaire, from Medieval Latin polāris (“relating to the poles”), from polus (“pole”), from Ancient Greek πόλος (pólos, “pivot, axis”).^[1]

The first experiments on polarised light were made by turning a birefringent crystal, and the adjective was understood as containing πολεῖν (poleîn, “to turn”).^[5][6][4] The Grand Robert and the Petit Robert therefore derive the verb from the Greek verb, after the adjective, while the GLLF and Rey call that link a mistaken interpretation.^[7][8][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

In 1810 Étienne-Louis Malus uses it in optics, of light made to vibrate in one direction after reflection, in his Théorie de la double réfraction.^[2][4]

Semantic evolution

The verb is in fact older than its first record, as the participle polarisant is found in 1803.^[4] Light is said to se polariser from 1835.^[4] In 1838 Schoenbein took it into electricity, of a wire or electrode brought to one pole of a battery, and the pronominal use follows there in 1868.^[2][4]

Under the influence of the figurative senses of pôle and polarité, it passed into general use: Baudelaire uses it about 1860 for “to draw together, gather at one point”, and Renan in 1889 has se polariser “to concentrate on a single point”.^[2][4][3] Of people it is mostly pronominal or passive, for fixing one's mind on one subject.^[4] The participle polarisé was shortened to school slang polar (1952), for a pupil wholly absorbed in study.^[4]

Timeline

• 1803 – The participle polarisant is recorded.^[4]
• 1810 – Malus uses polariser and polarisation in optics.^[2][5][4]
• 1835 – Se polariser is used of light.^[4]
• 1838 – Schoenbein uses it in electricity.^[2][4]
• c. 1860 – Baudelaire uses it figuratively, “to draw together at one point”.^[2][4]
• 1889 – Renan has the pronominal figurative sense.^[2]
• 1952 – School slang shortens polarisé to polar.^[4]

Meanings

Verb

1. (physics) To polarize light: to subject it to polarisation.^[8][2][9]
2. (electricity) To polarize electrodes or a battery: to give them fixed positive and negative poles.^[8][2]
3. (figurative) To attract and concentrate at one point: polariser l'attention.^[8][9][3]
4. Se polariser (sur): to focus or fixate on a subject or an aim.^[9][4]

Word family

• polarisation
• polariseur
• polarisateur
• polarisant
• polarisé

Related words

• polaire
• pôle
• polarité

References

1. ^ a b 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 Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
6. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ a b c Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)