réciproque

Forms

réciproque (plural réciproques)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin reciprocus (“returning to its starting point”),^[2][3][1][4] which in Latin also meant “alternating, reversed, echoed” and, in grammar, “reflexive”.^[5][6] The Latin adjective was used to render Ancient Greek παλίντονος (palíntonos, “bent back”) and ἀντιστρέφων (antistréphōn, “turning the other way”).^[5] It is old but rare, and is explained as a compound of two assumed adjectives built on the particles re- and pro-, “going back and forward”.^[5][7]

The grammatical use in ⟨pronom réciproque⟩ is a calque of reciprocum pronomen (“reflexive pronoun”), and the medical terms of the 20th century were taken from the English word reciprocal.^[2] Cognate with Old Occitan reciproc.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first record, in the first half of the 14th century, is the glossary Aalma, which renders Latin reciprocus by reciproques, reflechissens (“reciprocal, reflecting”).^[2] It meant something that takes place between two people or two things acting on each other.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

Grammarians took the word up in the 15th century: a pronom receproc (about 1400) was a reflexive pronoun, and verbe réciproque (1606) a reflexive verb.^[2] From the Renaissance it spread to dialectic, with termes réciproques (1589) for terms that can stand for each other, and then to logic and mathematics: propositions réciproques (1678) and, in algebra, proposition réciproque (1800).^[2] Furetière recorded the logical and mathematical senses in 1690.^[3][5]

As a masculine noun it meant “the like in return”, in au réciproque (1451) and rendre le réciproque (1605); this use was called dated in 1893 and has gone out of use.^[2][5] The TLF-Étym rejects the 1409 record from the chronicle of Boucicaut, cited by Littré, Godefroy, the FEW and the TLFi, because it is missing from the scholarly edition of the text.^[2] The feminine noun, first in faire la réciproque (1555), survives, and in logic and mathematics la réciproque is short for the converse proposition.^[2][5]

Timeline

• 1300–1350 – The Aalma glossary renders Latin reciprocus by reciproques.^[2]
• c. 1380 – The date given by Bloch and Wartburg, the DHLF and the Grand Robert.^[8][5][9]
• c. 1400 – A grammar calls se a pronom receproc.^[2]
• 1451 – Au réciproque “in return” is recorded.^[2]
• 1466 – Pierre Michault writes of a construction réciproque.^[2][3]
• 1555 – Faire la réciproque “return the favour” appears.^[2]
• 1589 – Termes réciproques appears in dialectic.^[2]
• 1606 – Masset uses verbe réciproque.^[2][3]
• 1678 – Bernier uses propositions réciproques.^[2]
• 1690 – Furetière records the senses in logic and mathematics.^[3][6]
• 1729 – Réciprocité is borrowed from Late Latin.^[8][5]
• 1800 – Proposition réciproque appears in algebra.^[2]

Meanings

Adjective

1. mutual, reciprocal: exchanged equally between two people or groups, or acting from each of two things on the other.^[3][10][6]
2. (grammar) Of a pronominal verb or pronoun expressing an action that two or more subjects do to one another.^[2][5]
3. (logic) Of two propositions in which the subject of one can become the predicate of the other, and the other way round.^[10][2]
4. (mathematics) Of a proposition obtained from another by exchanging its hypothesis and its conclusion, or of an inverse function or transformation.^[2][6][1]

Noun

1. (feminine) The reverse, the opposite action: rendre la réciproque.^[2][1]
2. (feminine, logic, mathematics) The converse of a proposition or theorem.^[5][1]
3. (masculine, archaic) The like in return.^[2]

Word family

• réciproquement

Related words

• réciprocité
• réciproquer
• Latin reciprocus

References

1. ^ a b c d e f 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 s t u v w Steinfeld, Nadine; Buchi, Éva, eds. (2005–), TLF-Étym: révision des notices étymologiques du Trésor de la langue française informatisé, Nancy: ATILF
3. ^ a b c d e f g 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
4. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 10, 149b
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
9. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
10. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert