ponctuation

Forms

ponctuation f (plural ponctuations)^[1] First written punctuation; the spelling ponctuation is found in Dolet in 1540.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is formed from French ponctuer + -ation.^[2][4][5] The verb is from Medieval Latin punctuō, from punctus.^[5][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Fabri (1522) uses punctuation for the act or manner of punctuating a text.^[2][6]

Semantic evolution

From the act of punctuating, the word came to name the set of signs themselves, signes de ponctuation being recorded in 1845.^[2][6] By metonymy it named in printing each of the characters for these signs (1701, Furetière).^[2][6] Like the verb, it took analogical senses in music (1845), for marking the pauses of a musical phrase, and in botany (1869).^[2][6] Littré also records its use for the points that mark vowels in some Eastern scripts, as in la ponctuation hébraïque.^[7]

Timeline

• 1522 – Punctuation appears in Fabri.^[2]
• 1540 – Dolet writes ponctuation.^[3][7]
• 1701 – Furetière records it for the printing characters.^[2]
• 1845 – Bescherelle records signes de ponctuation and the musical sense.^[2]
• 1869 – Littré records the botanical sense.^[3][6]

Meanings

Noun

1. The system of non-alphabetic signs that mark the divisions of a text and certain syntactic or emotional nuances; punctuation: signes de ponctuation.^[8][9][2]
2. The way these signs are used: la ponctuation de ce texte est fautive.^[8][10]
3. (printing) A character standing for a punctuation mark.^[8][2]
4. (music) The marking of pauses in a musical phrase.^[2][3]
5. (botany) A pit, a small opening in the wall of plant cells.^[10]

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 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. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, 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. ^ a b c d e Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b 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
9. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
10. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)