nonchalant French · revision 16125

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 1265, Jean de Meun|origins=la caleō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /nɔ̃.ʃa.lɑ̃/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''nonchalant''' (feminine nonchalante, masculine plural nonchalants, feminine plural nonchalantes)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the present participle, used as an adjective, of the Old French verb [[m|fro|nonchaloir|t=not to care about]],^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)^(Grand Robert 2005) formed from [[m|fro|non|t=not]] and [[m|fro|chaloir|t=to matter, concern]].^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Littré 1873)^(Wiktionary) ''Chaloir'' comes from [[la|caleō|t=to be warm]], which in popular Latin took the sense “to matter, interest”, the step being “to grow warm about something”.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Etymonline) [[m|fr|chaland|alt=Chaland]] “customer”, earlier “friend, protector”, is from the same verb.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Etymonline) Littré compares Berry [[m|fr|nonchaleux]] and Provençal [[m|oc|nonchalen]].^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The Grand Robert and the GLLF date it to about 1265, in Jean de Meun; the TLFi cites a manuscript of 1294 and the ''Lai des Amants'' of the late 13th century.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)^(TLFi) The Anglo-Norman Dictionary has ''nunchalant'' “negligent, careless” in a text of about 1136–65.^(AND)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Old and Middle French it meant careless, negligent, and was used with ''de'' for one who does not care about something: Oresme (about 1370) and Montaigne, who wanted death to find him ''nonchalant d'elle''.^(Littré 1873)^(GLLF 1989) The sense of slow, languid movements and attitudes is recorded from 1668, in Molière.^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ English borrowed [[m|en|nonchalant]] in 1734.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1136–65 – Anglo-Norman ''nunchalant'' “negligent” is recorded.^(AND)

+ * c. 1265 – Jean de Meun uses the word.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)

+ * c. 1370 – Oresme writes ''nonchalant de'', “not caring about”.^(GLLF 1989)^(Littré 1873)

+ * 1668 – Molière uses it of languid movements and attitudes.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1734 – English borrows the word.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Lacking zeal or energy out of [[m|en|indifference]]; [[m|en|indolent]], easy-going: ''un écolier nonchalant''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)

+ # Slow and [[m|en|languid]] in movement: ''une démarche nonchalante''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''(dated)'' ''Nonchalant de'': not caring about.^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A nonchalant person.^(Le Robert)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[nonchalance]]

+ * [[nonchaloir]]

+ * [[chaloir]]

+ * [[chaland]]

+ * [[la|caleo]]

+ * [[en|nonchalant]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}