Etymologically
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question

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /kɛs.tjɔ̃/[1]

Forms

question f (plural questions)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin quaestiō (“search, inquiry; examination under torture”), from “quaesitum”, the supine of quaerō (“to seek, ask”), whence quérir.[2][3][4][5][1] In Latin the word meant search in general, then in law an inquiry, an interrogation and especially an inquiry by torture, and in philosophy a discussion, translating Ancient Greek ζήτησις (zḗtēsis).[3]

Wiktionary notes that, as a learned word, it kept the “s” before a consonant, unlike the related quête.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

In 1119 Philippe de Thaon's Comput uses questiun for a point imperfectly known that must be examined or discussed.[2] About 1160 the Roman d'Eneas has it as a request made to someone to learn something.[2][6]

Semantic evolution

French did not take over the general Latin sense “search”, left to quête and recherche.[3] About 1190 a question was a matter for debate, whence mettre en question (1541), remettre en question (1842), il est question de (1690) and pas question ! (20th century).[3][6]

From 1321, and until the end of the Ancien Régime, la question was judicial torture (donner la question, 1690); this sense now survives only in history.[2][3] Later specialisations include exam questions (1869) and parliamentary questions (question de confiance).[3] The verb questionner dates from the 13th century and questionnaire from 1533.[3][4]

Timeline

  • 1119 – Questiun, a matter to be examined, in Philippe de Thaon.[2]
  • c. 1160 – A question asked, in Eneas.[2]
  • c. 1190 – A matter for debate, in Guernes de Pont-Sainte-Maxence.[6]
  • 1321 – La question, judicial torture.[2]
  • 1541 – Mettre en question in Calvin.[3]
  • 1694 – En question “in point”.[3]
  • 1869 – An exam question.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A question: a request for information: poser une question.[7][1]
  2. An issue, matter, problem: la question du chômage, une question d'argent.[8][1]
  3. En question: in question, il est question de: there is talk of.[3]
  4. Mettre en question, remettre en question: to call into question.[3]
  5. (historical) Judicial torture: soumettre à la question.[2][1]

Word family

  • questionnaire
  • questionner
  • quérir
  • quête

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 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 Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 2, 1410b
  6. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  7. ^ Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  8. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)