renseignement

Forms

renseignement m (plural renseignements)^[1] Littré cites a 16th-century form renseing.^[2]

Etymology

It is formed from French renseigner + -ment.^[3][1][4][5] The verb, first written renseignier (about 1145, Wace), is enseigner with the prefix re-, a link that is no longer felt.^[3][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is recorded once in Middle French, in 1429, in the cartulary of Cysoing, as an indication or piece of information according to the TLFi, or as an entry in an account according to the Robert dictionaries and the GLLF.^[3][5][4][6]

Semantic evolution

The word was taken up again in the middle of the 18th century for a piece of information about a person or a thing (1755, Crébillon fils), often in the plural, as in prendre des renseignements (1779).^[3][5] The Académie recorded this sense in 1762.^[4][6] It was then specialized in military use (renseignements militaires, 1823, Las Cases), in the police and the courts (1838, a bureau de renseignements in the criminal registry) and in public administration (1854, an office where the public can get information).^[3][5] The verb renseigner took its modern sense “to inform” from the noun in the 19th century.^[5]

In espionage, the service des renseignements (1899, Clemenceau) gathered information on foreign armies; the renseignements généraux (1928) were a separate police service.^[3][5] The singular le renseignement, for intelligence work as an activity, dates from 1943, while les renseignements (1949) simply names an information office.^[3][5] Aller aux renseignements is recorded by Littré in 1870.^[6]

Timeline

• 1429 – A single Middle French record in the cartulary of Cysoing.^[3][4]
• 1755 – Crébillon fils uses it for information about something or someone.^[3][5]
• 1762 – The Académie records it.^[4][6]
• 1779 – Prendre des renseignements is recorded.^[3][5]
• 1823 – Renseignements militaires appears in Las Cases.^[3]
• 1854 – Bureau de renseignements names an office informing the public.^[3][5]
• 1899 – Service des renseignements is used of military intelligence.^[3][5]
• 1928 – Renseignements généraux appears, in Malraux.^[3]
• 1943 – Le renseignement in the singular names intelligence work.^[3][5]

Meanings

Noun

1. A piece of information given to someone about a person or a thing: demander un renseignement.^[7][6][3]
2. Aller aux renseignements: to go and inquire.^[7][6]
3. Intelligence: the gathering of information about an enemy or rival, and the services that do it: service de renseignement.^[1][3][5]
4. Les renseignements: an information desk or office for the public.^[5]
5. (law) À titre de renseignement: said of evidence taken from a witness who is not put under oath.^[2]

Related words

• renseigner
• enseigner
• enseignement

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q 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. ^ a b c d e 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 j k l m n o Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert