rétrospectif

Forms

rétrospectif (feminine rétrospective, masculine plural rétrospectifs, feminine plural rétrospectives)^[1]

Etymology

It is a learned formation with the prefix rétro- and the stem ⟨spect-⟩ of Latin words such as spectō (“to look at, observe”), with the suffix -if.^[2][3][4][5] The Latin verb is a frequentative of the archaic speciō.^[6][7] The TLFi, Bloch and Wartburg and the GLLF see the influence of respectif and perspective (the DHLF and the GLLF name perspectif and prospectif).^[2][3][7][6] Littré instead derived it from Latin retrōspiciō (“to look behind oneself”).^[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLFi, the GLLF and Bloch and Wartburg date it to 1779, in Beaumarchais's Courrier de l'Europe, in the sense “concerning the past”; the DHLF, the Grand Robert and the Petit Robert give 1775.^{[2][7][3][6][4][5]}

Semantic evolution

From “directed towards the past” the adjective came to mean “allowing one to review the past” (1836, Académie), as in a review of the past year's events.^[7][6] From 1854 it qualifies a present feeling about past events: Mérimée speaks of it, and later usage has peur rétrospective, fear felt after a danger has passed.^[2][5][6] Littré still calls it a neologism.^[8]

The feminine was made a noun, rétrospective: a showing of old films in 1919 (Delluc), and an exhibition of the whole work of an artist, school or period in 1920.^[2][6] A masculine noun rétrospectif was proposed in 1973 in place of the anglicism flash-back.^[6][5] The adverb rétrospectivement dates from 1845 and rétrospection from 1850.^[6]

Timeline

• 1775 – First record according to the DHLF and the Robert dictionaries.^[6][4]
• 1779 – Beaumarchais uses it in the Courrier de l'Europe.^[2][3][7]
• 1836 – The Académie records the sense “allowing one to review the past”.^[7]
• 1845 – Rétrospectivement is first recorded.^[6][2]
• 1854 – Mérimée uses it of a feeling about past events.^[2][5]
• 1919 – Rétrospective names a showing of old films.^[2][6]
• 1920 – Rétrospective names an exhibition of an artist's work.^[2]
• 1973 – The noun rétrospectif is proposed for a flashback.^[6][5]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Retrospective: looking back in time, directed towards or concerning the past: Une étude rétrospective des épidémies du siècle dernier.^[5][2][9]
2. Of a present feeling: applying to past events: Elle a eu une frayeur rétrospective en apprenant le danger.^[5][2][9]

Noun

1. (feminine, rétrospective) An exhibition or showing presenting the whole work of an artist, a school or a period; a showing of old films.^[2][6]
2. (masculine, cinema, television) A flash-back.^[5]

Word family

• rétrospectivement
• rétrospective
• rétrospection

Related words

• rétro-
• respectif
• perspective
• prospectif
• spectacle
• Latin spectō

References

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