responsable French · revision 15919

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1284, responsaule|origins=la respondeō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ʁɛs.pɔ̃.sabl/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''responsable''' (plural responsables)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a learned formation from [[la|respōnsus]] (supine “responsum”), past participle of [[m|la|respondeō|t=to answer; to stand surety]],^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(FEW|10, 313a) made to serve as the adjective of [[répondre]] in the sense “to be answerable”.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(TLFi) Wiktionary analyses it as Middle French “response” + [[-able]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Cognate with [[pro|responsable]].^(Littré 1873) The moral sense “sensible, mature” follows [[en|responsible]].^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The customs of Lille (1284, in a 14th-century copy) have the noun ''responsaule'', the man charged for life with paying a lord the rent of a church fief;^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) the adjective ''responsable'' “answerable, guarantor” appears in 1304.^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In 1309 the adjective meant “admissible at law”.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989) In the 14th century it came to describe a person who must answer for his own acts and those of persons in his charge, first in law and then in morals;^(DHLF 1992) in classical French one was ''responsable à'' an authority (Molière).^(DHLF 1992) In the 18th century it was applied to rulers answerable for their policy (''gouvernement responsable devant le parlement''), and the noun ''responsabilité'' (1783) arose in translations of Fox's speeches, after English ''responsibility''.^(DHLF 1992)^(Le Robert)

+

+ As a noun, ''un responsable'' is a person in charge (1935: ''responsable syndical'').^(DHLF 1992)^(Larousse) Under English influence the adjective took the sense “sensible, mature” (about 1965–1968).^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1284 – The noun ''responsaule''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1304 – The adjective ''responsable''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1309 – “Admissible at law”.^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ * 1669 – ''Responsable à'' in Molière.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1783 – ''Responsabilité''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1786 – ''Irresponsable''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1935 – The noun “person in charge”.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|responsible|alt=Responsible]], answerable, accountable (for something or someone): ''être responsable de ses actes''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)

+ # ''(law)'' Liable: ''civilement responsable''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)

+ # Of a government, answerable (to parliament).^(Le Robert)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # In charge (of): ''responsable de la sécurité''.^(Larousse)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # Sensible, [[m|en|mature]].^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A person in charge, [[m|en|manager]]: ''un responsable syndical''.^(Larousse)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The person or thing to blame: ''chercher les responsables''.^(Larousse)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[responsabilité]]

+ * [[irresponsable]]

+ * [[responsabiliser]]

+ * [[irresponsabilité]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[répondre]]

+ * [[réponse]]

+ * [[en|responsible]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}