harpon French · revision 16083

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|formation=derivation|attested=c. 1130, Vers del Juise}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /aʁ.pɔ̃/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''harpon''' ''m'' (plural harpons)^(Wiktionary)

+ Anglo-Norman ''harpun'' (12th century), ''herpon'' (1474), ''harpon''; the ''h'' is aspirated.^(GLLF 1989)^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is derived from the old verb [[harper|t=to grip, seize]] (12th–18th century) with the suffix “-on”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Littré 1873) Because the family appears late, in the west, with an aspirated “h”, Bloch and Wartburg and the Petit Robert take the verb from [[non|harpa|t=cramp, twisting]] (in “munn-harpa” “twisting of the mouth”), overlaid on [[la|harpē|t=sickle; falcon]], from Greek “harpē”, which survives in southern “arpa” “claw”, Rey also mentions a Germanic “*harpan” “to seize”.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(DHLF 1992) Wiktionary takes “harpon” from Latin “harpaga”, a variant of “harpagō” “grappling hook”, from Greek “harpágē”.^(Wiktionary) Compare [[es|arpón]] and [[pt|arpão]].^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The Anglo-Norman ''Vers del Juise'' (about 1130) has it for a clasp of jewellery;^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) the word is rare until the 15th century.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In 1474 (''herpon'') it was a bent metal cramp joining two pieces of masonry, and in 1516 an arrow-shaped weapon for catching large fish and whales, the sense still alive (''pêche au harpon'', ''fusil à harpon'').^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007) It was also a grappling hook for boarding an enemy ship (Cotgrave, 1611, Fournier, 1643), a barbed prehistoric weapon of bone or antler (mid-19th century) and a firemen's grappling hook (20th century).^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989) ''Harponner'' and ''harponneur'' date from 1613, Balzac (1830) used ''harponner'' for “to grab”, and, from 1883 it meant “to buttonhole”.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1130 – A clasp, in the ''Vers del Juise''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1474 – ''Herpon'' “metal cramp”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1516 – A whaling harpoon.^(TLFi)

+ * 1611 – A grappling hook, in Cotgrave.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1613 – ''Harponner'', ''harponneur''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * Mid-19th century – A prehistoric harpoon.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|harpoon]]: ''pêche au harpon'', ''fusil à harpon''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(archaeology)'' A barbed prehistoric harpoon.^(GLLF 1989)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''(building)'' A metal cramp joining masonry.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(TLFi)

+ # ''(historical)'' A grappling hook for boarding.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[harponner]]

+ * [[harponneur]]

+ * [[harponner]]

+ * [[harponneur]]

+ * [[harponnage]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[harper]]

+ * [[harpagon]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}