tâter French · revision 15804

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=inherited|attested=early 12th century, Cambridge Psalter|origins=la tangō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ta.te/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA: /tɑ.te/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''tâter'''^(Wiktionary)

+ [[fro|taster]]; the spelling ''tâter'' is recorded from 1636 and in the Académie from 1740.^(GLLF 1989)^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|taster]], [[inh|la-vul|*tastō|alt=*tastāre]], a contraction of [[m|la-vul|*taxitō|alt=*taxitāre]], frequentative of [[la|taxō|t=to touch often and hard]],^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Wiktionary)^(FEW|13/1, 140a) an intensive of [[m|la|tangō|t=to touch]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005) Rey derives it from a Vulgar Latin [[m|la-vul|*taxicō|alt=*taxicare]].^(DHLF 1992) Because Old French “taster” often meant “to taste”, a form crossed from [[m|la|gustō|t=to taste]] and “tangere” has been proposed;^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(DHLF 1992) Bloch and Wartburg and Rey find it unnecessary, the step from “touch” to “taste” being natural.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ Cognate with [[it|tastare]], [[pro|tastar]] and Old Spanish “tastar”, which also had both senses.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Littré 1873) [[de|tasten|t=to grope]] comes from the Romance languages.^(Littré 1873) Compare [[en|taste]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The Cambridge Psalter (first half of the 12th century) has ''Mains unt, e ne tasterunt'' “they have hands, and do not feel”, in the sense “to explore by touch”.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Wace has ''taster al pulz'' “to feel the pulse” about 1155, and ''taster le pous'' follows in the ''Roman de Renart'';^(TLFi) from 1594 ''tâter le pouls à qqn'' meant “to sound out someone's feelings”.^(TLFi) In Old French ''taster'' also meant “to explore (a country)”, “to strike” and “to caress”, and ''taster de'' “to enjoy, have one's share of” (about 1160) and “to taste (food)” (Chrétien de Troyes);^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) ''tâter le vin'' (1373) survives in ''tastevin'', the wine-taster's cup.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ''Tâter l'ennemi'' “to probe the enemy” is recorded by the Académie in 1718.^(TLFi) ''Tâter le pavé'' “to walk hesitantly” (1680) gave way to ''tâter le terrain'' “to feel one's way” (1690, Madame de Sévigné),^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) and ''se tâter'' “to hesitate, deliberate” is current.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007) ''Tâter de'' “to try one's hand at” (''tâter d'un métier'') survives.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Early 12th century – ''Taster'' in the Cambridge Psalter.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1155 – ''Taster al pulz'' in Wace.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1160 – ''Taster de'' “to enjoy”, in the ''Eneas''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1175 – ''A tastons'' “groping”.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1373 – ''Tâter le vin''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1594 – ''Taster le poux'' “to sound out”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1690 – ''Tâter le terrain'' in Sévigné.^(TLFi)

+ * 1718 – ''Tâter l'ennemi''.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|feel]] or touch carefully with the hand in order to examine: ''tâter un fruit'', ''tâter le pouls'': to take the pulse.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)

+ # ''Tâter le terrain'': to feel one's way, proceed with caution.^(Le Robert)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # To [[m|en|sound out]] (someone) by careful questioning: ''tâter l'opinion''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''Tâter de'': to try, have a taste of (something): ''tâter de la prison''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''(reflexive)'' ''Se tâter'': to [[m|en|hesitate]], think it over.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[tâtonner]]

+ * [[retâter]]

+ * [[tâtonner]]

+ * [[à tâtons]]

+ * [[tâtillon]]

+ * [[tâte-vin]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[la|tangō]]

+ * [[en|taste]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}