gauche French · revision 15600

+ {{infobox|confidence=disputed|formation=back-formation|attested=c. 1225, guauche}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ɡoʃ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''gauche''' (plural gauches)^(Wiktionary)

+ Early spellings include ''guauche'' (about 1225) and ''gaulche'' (1471).^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is uncertain.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007) Bloch and Wartburg and the GLLF take it from the verb [[gauchir]] “to turn aside, warp”,^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(GLLF 1989)^(Larousse) which Bloch and Wartburg explain as [[fro|guenchir|t=to swerve]], from [[frk|*wenkjan]], crossed with [[m|fro|gauchier|t=to tread, full]], from [[frk|*walkan]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Wiktionary) Meyer-Lübke similarly derives it from [[m|frk|*walkan]], the “left hand” being the “crushed hand”.^(REW 1935) Rey finds a Germanic origin through ''gauchir'' difficult, and mentions Guiraud's proposal of a Gallo-Roman [[la-vul|*valgicus]], from [[la|valgus|t=bow-legged]], which he calls unsupported.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+

+ Why ''gauche'' replaced the inherited [[senestre]] in the 15th century, as [[droit]] replaced [[fro|destre]], is not known.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first sense, about 1225, is “crooked, askew”, and in the 14th century it is used as an adverb, “awry”: a poem speaks of interpreting texts “gauche”.^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873)^(GLLF 1989) It means “left” in 1471, in ''la main gaulche'' “the left hand”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The idea of crookedness gave the geometric sense “not in one plane” (''courbe gauche'', 1676)^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007) and, of people, “clumsy, awkward” (1660).^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989) Bloch and Wartburg note that the word meant “what is askew”, hence “clumsy”, and took the place of ''senestre'' when ''droit'' took that of ''destre''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) The noun ''la gauche'' “the left side” is from 1549,^(TLFi) and phrases followed: ''mariage de la main gauche'' “morganatic or unofficial union” (1680), ''passer l'arme à gauche'' “to die” (1832), ''mettre à gauche'' “to put money by” (1901).^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ The political sense dates from the Revolution: in 1789 the supporters of the Revolution sat on the president's left in the Assembly, and the political noun is recorded from 1791.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) ''Extrême gauche'' is recorded in 1824.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1225 – ''Guauche'' “crooked”.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ * 14th century – Adverb “awry”.^(Littré 1873)^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1471 – ''La main gaulche'' “the left hand”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1549 – ''La gauche'' “the left side”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1660 – “Clumsy” of a person.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1676 – ''Courbe gauche'' in geometry.^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ * 1791 – ''La gauche'' in politics.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1824 – ''Extrême gauche''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|left|alt=Left]], on the side of the heart: ''la main gauche''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+ # [[m|en|awkward|alt=Awkward]], [[m|en|clumsy]], lacking ease.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)

+ # Warped, not flat;^(Larousse) ''(geometry)'' not lying in one plane.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''La gauche'': the left side.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+ # ''(politics)'' The left, the progressive parties and their supporters.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+ # ''(boxing)'' The left fist; a punch with it.^(Larousse)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[gaucher]]

+ * [[gauchiste]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[gauchir]]

+ * [[senestre]]

+ * [[en|gauche]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''À gauche'' means “to the left”; familiar ''jusqu'à la gauche'' (1881) means “completely”.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}