sentimental

Forms

sentimental (feminine sentimentale, masculine plural sentimentaux, feminine plural sentimentales)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from English sentimental, first found in 1769 in Frenais's translation of Laurence Sterne's Sentimental Journey, the Voyage sentimental par la France et l'Italie“.^[2][3][4][5] The translator explained: ”Le mot anglais sentimental n'a pu se rendre en français par aucune expression qui pût y répondre, et on l'a laissé subsister “the English word sentimental could not be rendered in French by any expression that would match it, and it has been left as it is”.^[3][4][5] The English adjective was then recent (1749), formed from sentiment, which English had borrowed from the French sentiment in the 14th century.^[2][5][6]

It was soon felt in French as a derivative of the French noun.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

In Frenais's translation of 1769 it means “concerning feeling, the emotional life”.^[2][5]

Semantic evolution

As in English, the word at first suggested a certain elevation of feeling, but it soon became pejorative, describing in 1781 (Linguet) a feeling that is somewhat mawkish or affected.^[5][2][7] By 1797 it described what arises from feeling rather than reason, and in 1798 a person who gives importance to tender feelings and shows them readily.^[5][7][2] It came to refer above all to love, as in Flaubert's novel L'Éducation sentimentale.^[8][7] In characterology it became a noun (1945, Le Senne) for a type of character, opposed to the active type.^[2][5]

Timeline

• 1749 – The English adjective sentimental is formed.^[2][6]
• 1769 – Frenais keeps it in his translation of Sterne.^[2][3]
• 1781 – Linguet uses it of mawkish feeling.^[2][7]
• 1798 – The Journal de Paris uses it of an over-sensitive person.^[2][5]
• 1801 – Sentimentalisme is recorded.^[3]
• 1804 – Sentimentalité is recorded.^[3]
• 1945 – Le Senne uses it as a noun in characterology.^[2]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Relating to love and the emotional life: la vie sentimentale, une déception sentimentale.^[8][7]
2. Arising from feeling rather than reason or interest: Elle garde ce vieux piano pour des raisons sentimentales.^[8][7]
3. Of a person, tender-hearted and ready to show tender feelings, sentimental.^[8][9][2]
4. (pejorative) Expressing a somewhat mawkish or affected sensibility.^[2][9]

Noun

1. A sentimental person.^[8]
2. (characterology) A type of character, opposed to the active type.^[2][5]

Word family

• sentimentalement
• sentimentalisme
• sentimentalité
• sentimentaliser

Related words

• sentiment
• sentir
• English sentimental

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n 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 Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
4. ^ a b 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
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 c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette