tradition

Forms

tradition f (plural traditions)^[1] Old French tradicion, also Anglo-Norman tradiçon.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin trāditiō (“handing over, delivery, transmission, teaching”),^[2][4][5][6] from trādō (“to hand over, transmit”),^[2][4][7] formed from trāns- and dō (“to give”).^[4][7] In Christian Latin the word had taken the senses “oral teaching” and “the tradition of the Apostles and the Church”, as opposed to Scripture.^[2][5]

The same Latin word gave, by inheritance, Old French traïson, modern trahison.^[8][1] Littré compares Old Occitan tradition and Italian tradizione.^[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record, in 1268, is legal: en la tradition dou don “in the handing over of the gift”, in a memorandum from the Count of Bar to the king.^[2][4] A charter of La Rochelle has tradicion in 1290.^[2]

Semantic evolution

The proper sense “act of handing a thing over to someone” went out of general use, but survives in law for the delivery of a movable thing, and, since 1694, for the handing over of the insignia of an office.^[4][7] In classical French the word also meant “teaching that is passed on” (1611).^[4]

Modern use stresses non-material transmission: religious doctrines and customs handed down (1488), as in Calvin's traditions humaines (1541) and the Tradition of the Church set beside Scripture.^[2][4][9] From 1624 it names a way of thinking or acting inherited from the past, the sense that is most alive today, and since about 1654 a more or less legendary account of past events.^[2][4] The phrase tradition orale is recorded in 1735.^[2] In the theatre (1785) a tradition is a word or piece of stage business handed down from the first actors of a part.^[2] Recent French also uses the word for a kind of baguette.^[1]

Timeline

• 1268 – First record, of the legal handing over of a gift.^[2][4]
• 1290 – The spelling tradicion appears in a charter of La Rochelle.^[2]
• 1488 – Nicole Le Huen uses it for religious doctrine handed down.^[2][5]
• 1541 – Calvin writes of traditions humaines.^[2][8]
• 1624 – Guez de Balzac uses it for a way of acting inherited from the past.^[2]
• 1694 – The Académie records the handing over of the insignia of an office.^[4][7]
• 1735 – Tradition orale is recorded.^[2]
• 1785 – Beaumarchais uses it in the theatre for business handed down by actors.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. (law) The delivery of a movable thing from hand to hand, transferring its possession.^[2][9][8]
2. A doctrine or religious or moral practice handed down from generation to generation; the body of such doctrines.^[9][2]
3. (Christianity) La Tradition: the teaching of the Church handed down from the Apostles, beside Scripture.^[9][2]
4. A more or less legendary account of the past, passed on at first by word of mouth: tradition orale, tradition populaire.^[9][2]
5. A way of thinking or acting inherited from the past; a custom: Dans notre village, la tradition veut qu'on danse le premier mai. “In our village, tradition has it that people dance on the first of May.” Par tradition “by tradition”, de tradition “traditional”.^[9][2]
6. A type of baguette.^[1]

Word family

• traditionnel
• traditionalisme
• traditionaliste
• traditionnaire

Related words

• trahison
• extradition
• Latin trāditiō

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v 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. ^ Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
6. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert