technique
Pronunciation
- IPA: /tɛk.nik/[1]
Forms
technique (plural techniques)[1]
Etymology
It is borrowed from Latin technicus (“master of an art”),[2][3][4] from Ancient Greek τεχνικός (tekhnikós, “of an art; skilful”), from τέχνη (tékhnē, “art, craft, skill”);[5][2][6][1] the TLFi takes it straight from Greek.[5] Rey explains that “tékhnē” first expressed the idea of building and belongs to the Indo-European root of Sanskrit तक्षति (takṣati, “he fashions”), Latin texō (“to weave”) and Ancient Greek τέκτων (téktōn, “carpenter”).[2]
The modern sense owes something to English technical and “technic”.[2]
Earliest recorded meaning
Bayle (1684–1687) has grammairien technique, one who teaches the principles of grammar, after Quintilian.[5][2]
Semantic evolution
Trévoux (1721) has vers techniques, verses that help memorise rules.[5][2] The modern sense, “belonging to a specialised field”, appears in the abbé Prévost's Manuel lexique (1750) in termes techniques, after English;[5][2][7] in the arts it is what concerns method rather than inspiration (1788), and le technique (1744) the technical side of an art.[5][2] Enseignement technique dates from 1883.[5]
The feminine noun la technique (1842) is the set of methods of an art or craft (Baudelaire, 1846), and by extension any way of going about something (1908).[5][2] In the 20th century the adjective was applied to industry and production, and the noun has partly competed with the anglicism technologie since the 1960s.[2] The derivatives technicien (1836) and techniquement (1790) followed.[2][6]
Timeline
- 1684–1687 – Grammairien technique in Bayle.[5]
- 1721 – Vers techniques in Trévoux.[5]
- 1744 – Le technique.[5]
- 1750 – Termes techniques in Prévost.[5]
- 1842 – The noun la technique.[5]
- 1883 – Enseignement technique.[5]
- 1905 – La technique du ski.[8]
Meanings
Adjective
- Technical, belonging to a specialised field: termes techniques.[3][9]
- Concerning method or skill rather than inspiration: difficultés techniques.[3][10]
- Concerning the practical applications of science: progrès techniques, enseignement technique.[3][9]
- Concerning machinery: incident technique.[10][9]
Noun
- (feminine) A technique, method: la technique de l'aquarelle.[10][5]
- (feminine) Skill, know-how: une bonne technique.[10]
- (feminine) Technology, applied science.[10][1]
Word family
- technicien
- technicité
- techniquement
- technicien
- technicité
- technologie
Related words
References
- ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
- ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
- ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 13/1, 149a
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o 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
- ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
- ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
- ^ Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
- ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
- ^ a b c d e Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)