débattre French · revision 15942

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 1050, Vie de saint Alexis}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /de.batʁ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''débattre'''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed from [[battre]] with the intensive prefix [[dé-]],^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(FEW|24, 16b) the verb being [[inh|la|battuō|t=to beat]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Littré gives the original sense as “to beat this way and that”, kept only in the reflexive.^(Littré 1873)

+

+ Cognate with [[pro|debatre]], [[es|debatir]], [[pt|debater]] and [[it|dibattere]].^(Littré 1873) [[en|debate]] is borrowed from the French verb.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ''Vie de saint Alexis'' (about 1050) uses it in the sense “to beat hard”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense “to beat hard” lasted a long time, still in 1627 of churning milk.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) The verb parted from ''battre'' with the figurative “to argue vigorously”: ''de neant debatre'' in Chrétien de Troyes (1172–1175), and transitively in Beaumanoir (1283), who uses it for contesting a will or a jurisdiction.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873) The reflexive ''se débattre'' (Chrétien, about 1175) is closer to ''battre'': first “to torment oneself”, then “to struggle to get free”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ The noun ''débat'' (13th century) has only the sense “discussion”, and in parliamentary language (1627) it corresponds to English ''debate''.^(DHLF 1992) In Canada ''le cœur me débat'' “my heart is pounding” keeps the old sense.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1050 – “To beat hard”, in ''Saint Alexis''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1172–1175 – ''Debatre de'' in Chrétien de Troyes.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1175 – ''Se debatre''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1283 – “To discuss”, in Beaumanoir.^(TLFi)

+ * 13th century – ''Débat''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1627 – ''Débat'' in parliamentary use.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To discuss, [[m|en|debate]]: ''débattre une question'', ''débattre de'', ''sur''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To negotiate: ''prix à débattre''.^(Wiktionary)^(Le Robert)

+ # ''(reflexive)'' ''Se débattre'': to [[m|en|struggle]]: ''se débattre contre la misère''.^(Wiktionary)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''(Canada, intransitive)'' To beat hard: ''le cœur me débat''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[débat]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[battre]]

+ * [[combattre]]

+ * [[en|debate]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}