vaudeville French · revision 16095

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|formation=eponym|attested=1507, Nicolas de La Chesnaye}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /vod.vil/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''vaudeville''' ''m'' (plural vaudevilles)^(Wiktionary)

+ ''Vau de vire'' (15th century), ''vaul de ville'' (1507), ''vaudeville'' (1549, Du Bellay).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is an alteration, after [[ville]], of “vau de vire” “topical song” (15th century, “chanson du vau de vire”, 1452–1478),^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005) traditionally linked with the “Vau” (valley) “de Vire” in Calvados, home of the 15th-century songwriter Olivier Basselin, whose songs were successful until the early 17th century (“livre des vaux de Vire”, 1610).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873)^(Etymonline) Guiraud, followed by the Petit Robert, disputed this and saw a tautological compound of Norman “vauder” “to turn” (compare [[galvauder]]) and [[virer]], naming a refrain.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007) Wiktionary also mentions “voix de ville” “voice of the town”.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Nicolas de La Chesnaye's ''Condamnation de Banquet'' (1507) has ''chançons de vaul de ville'', topical, often satirical songs, Basselin has ''Ne rien chanter, senon un vau de vire''.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Under the influence of ''ville'' it was understood as a satirical song that “runs through the town” (Académie, 1694), a sense now historical.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989) Lesage (1721) used it for a song inserted in a fairground play, whence ''pièces en vaudevilles'' (1776), plays mixed with songs and dances, and, from 1811 (Jouy) a light comedy full of twists and misunderstandings.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) Figuratively it is a situation with the light, burlesque intrigue of such plays (''de vaudeville'', 1830, Balzac, 1844).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) ''Vaudevilliste'' dates from 1735 and ''vaudevillesque'' from 1891 (''vaudevillique'', Stendhal, 1832).^(DHLF 1992) English ''vaudeville'' was borrowed in 1735, and in America came to mean a variety show.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1452–1478 – ''Chanson du vau de vire''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1507 – ''Vaul de ville''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1549 – ''Vaudeville'' in Du Bellay.^(TLFi)

+ * 1721 – A song in a fairground play, in Lesage.^(TLFi)

+ * 1735 – ''Vaudevilliste'', English ''vaudeville''.^(DHLF 1992)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1811 – A light comedy, in Jouy.^(TLFi)

+ * 1891 – ''Vaudevillesque''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A light comedy, farce (of intrigue and misunderstandings): ''les vaudevilles de Feydeau''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''(figurative)'' A farcical situation: ''ça tourne au vaudeville''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(TLFi)

+ # ''(historical)'' A play mixed with songs and dances; a satirical popular song.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[vaudevilliste]]

+ * [[vaudevilliste]]

+ * [[vaudevillesque]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[virer]]

+ * [[galvauder]]

+ * [[ville]]

+ * [[en|vaudeville]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}