véhiculaire

Forms

véhiculaire (plural véhiculaires)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French véhicule + -aire.^[2][1][3] For the first sense the TLFi compares Late Latin vehiculāris and vehiculārius “of carriages, of carting”, derived from vehiculum.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1842, in the Complément of the Académie's dictionary, meaning “relating to means of transport”.^[2][4][5]

Semantic evolution

The first sense, “relating to vehicles or transport”, has stayed rare.^[2][5] The word is now used mainly in langue véhiculaire, a language that serves for communication between peoples or groups with different mother tongues, often set against vernaculaire.^[5][2][6] The phrase is dated 1905 by Rey and the Petit Robert;^[5][6] the TLFi's first record is from Ferdinand Brunot in 1935, who speaks of French as a “vehicular” language.^[2][7] Larousse recorded it in 1964.^[4]

Timeline

• 1842 – The Académie's Complément records véhiculaire “relating to means of transport”.^[2][4]
• 1905 – Langue véhiculaire is first recorded.^[5][6]
• 1935 – Brunot calls French a langue « véhiculaire ».^[2][7]
• 1964 – Larousse records langue véhiculaire.^[4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (linguistics) Used for communication between groups that do not share a native language: langue véhiculaire, a lingua franca, vehicular language.^[6][2][1]
2. (rare) Relating to vehicles or means of transport.^[2][1]

Related words

• véhicule
• vernaculaire
• Latin vehiculum

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 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. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ a b c d e Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF