socialiser

Forms

socialiser^[1]

Etymology

It is a learned formation from French social + -iser.^[2][1][3][4] The adjective is from Latin sociālis (“of a companion, social”), from socius (“companion, ally”).^[1][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1786, in Grivel, cited by Brunot, meaning “to make conform to the nature of society”.^[2][6]

Semantic evolution

The first, didactic sense was “to make social”.^[7][2] In the early socialist debates of the 1830s the verb was applied to property and the means of production, which were to be managed for society as a whole: socialiser les instruments de travail is recorded in 1831 and socialiser la propriété foncière in 1833.^[2] Rey dates the sense “to manage in the name of the whole society” to 1842.^[7]

The sense “to bring together in a society” followed in 1845, and “to win over to socialism”, used above all in the past participle socialisé, in 1859 or 1863.^[7][2][8] After 1950 the verb took on, in the human sciences, the sense “to develop social relationships in (someone)”, as when school adapts a child to group life.^[7][6]

Timeline

• 1786 – First record, in Grivel, meaning “to make conform to the nature of society”.^[2]
• 1831 – Socialiser les instruments de travail appears in Le Globe.^[2]
• 1833 – Dr Guépin writes of socializing landed property.^[2]
• 1845 – Bescherelle records the sense “to bring together in a society”.^[2][7]
• 1859 – Mozin records the sense “to win over to socialism”.^[6][8]
• After 1950 – The sense “to adapt to life in a group” appears.^[7]

Meanings

Verb

1. (formal) To develop social relationships in a person or among the members of a group, to adapt someone to life in society: l’école socialise les élèves.^[8][6][2]
2. To collectivize or nationalize: to manage or run in the name of society as a whole: socialiser la propriété.^[8][6][1]
3. To win someone over to socialism, mostly in the past participle.^[8][6][1]
4. (dated) To make social, to pass from the individual to the collective.^[2][6]

Word family

• socialisant
• socialisation
• désocialiser

Related words

• social
• société
• socialisme
• Latin sociālis

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 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. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale
5. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
6. ^ a b c d e f g Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert