paix French · revision 15813

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=late 10th century, Vie de saint Léger|origins=ine-pro *peh₂ḱ-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /pɛ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''paix''' ''f'' (invariable)^(Wiktionary)

+ [[fro|pais]], [[m|fro|paiz]], ''pes''; the spelling ⟨x⟩ is etymological.^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|pais]], [[inh|la|pāx|t=peace]] (genitive “pācis”).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(FEW|8, 91a) Bloch and Wartburg explain the Old French form as remade on the verb [[apaiser]], replacing the regular outcome.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Rey notes that Latin “pax” was properly the agreement concluded between warring parties, the resulting state being rather “otium”;^(DHLF 1992) the word belongs to the Indo-European root [[ine-pro|*peh₂ḱ-|t=to fasten, fix by agreement]], seen also in [[m|la|pacīscor|t=to make a pact]] and [[m|la|pangō|t=to fix]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Cognate with [[ro|pace]], [[it|pace]], [[ca|pau]], [[es|paz]] and [[pt|paz]];^(Petit Robert 2007)^(REW 1935) the Latin word also gave [[eu|bake]] and [[br|peoc'h]].^(Petit Robert 2007)^(REW 1935) [[en|peace]] is from Old French “pais”.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ''Vie de saint Léger'' (late 10th century) has ''Et Ewruïns fist fincta pais'' “and Ebroin made a feigned peace”, the sense “concord between persons”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ By about 1100 the ''Chanson de Roland'' uses it for the absence of war between nations, where olive branches signify ''pais e humilitet'', and for order among citizens;^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) the state between nations soon became the main sense.^(DHLF 1992) It could mean a truce (about 1200) and, by metonymy, a peace treaty (1317).^(TLFi) In religion it is inner peace (''Saint Alexis'', about 1050) and the kiss of peace, a calque of Christian Latin ''pacem dare'' (about 1200);^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) by metonymy ''la paix'' was the plate given to the faithful to kiss at the end of Mass (1306).^(TLFi)

+

+ From the 12th century it named a quiet, untroubled state: ''être en paix'', ''laisser qqn en paix''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) ''Juge de paix'' dates from 1688.^(TLFi) The exclamation ''la paix !'' “quiet!” is in Vadé (about 1751), and ''fous-moi la paix'' “leave me alone” in 1791.^(BHVF)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Late 10th century – ''Fincta pais'' in the ''Vie de saint Léger''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1050 – Inner peace, in ''Saint Alexis''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1100 – Peace between nations, in the ''Chanson de Roland''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1306 – The pax kissed at Mass, in Joinville.^(TLFi)

+ * 1317 – A peace treaty.^(TLFi)

+ * 1688 – ''Juge de paix''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1791 – ''Fous-moi la paix''.^(BHVF)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|peace|alt=Peace]]: the state of a country that is not at war; a peace treaty: ''signer la paix''.^(Larousse)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # Concord between people: ''faire la paix'', ''vivre en paix''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)

+ # Public order, absence of violence: ''paix sociale'', ''gardien de la paix''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+ # Calm, quiet, tranquillity of mind: ''avoir la paix'', ''laisser en paix'', ''la paix !'': quiet!^(TLFi)^(BHVF)

+ # ''(Christianity)'' Spiritual peace; the kiss of peace; the [[m|en|pax]], a plate kissed at Mass.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[apaiser]]

+ * [[paisible]]

+ * [[paisiblement]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[pacifique]]

+ * [[pacte]]

+ * [[payer]]

+ * [[la|pāx]]

+ * [[en|peace]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}