penser French · revision 16275

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=late 10th century, Passion de Clermont|origins=la pendō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /pɑ̃.se/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''penser'''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a learned form [[bor|la|pēnsō|t=to weigh; to appraise, ponder]], which probably took the sense “to think” in Late Latin; it is the frequentative of [[m|la|pendō|t=to weigh]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(FEW|8, 194a) The sense “to think” is found in Latin by the 6th century.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) By the regular sound changes, in which /n/ fell before /s/, “pēnsāre” gave [[peser]], “penser” can only have come from the written language.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(DHLF 1992) Wiktionary, however, treats “penser” as inherited, with “peser” as its doublet.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ [[panser]] “to dress (a wound)” is the same word specialized in the sense “to take care of”; the two spellings were used to separate the senses from the 16th century.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(DHLF 1992) Cognate with [[it|pensare]], [[oc|pensar]], [[ca|pensar]], [[es|pensar]] and [[pt|pensar]].^(Petit Robert 2007)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found in the ''Passion de Clermont'' (late 10th century) in the sense “to reflect, concentrate one's mind on something”, and in the same text as a verb of opinion, “to deem, imagine”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old and Middle French used constructions that have disappeared: ''se penser quelque chose'' “to think of, intend” (1080, ''Chanson de Roland''), which survives only in southern regional French under Occitan influence, ''penser de'' with an infinitive “to set about, try to” (about 1160) and “to intend to”, still found in Montesquieu (1721); and ''penser'' “to be absorbed in sad or anxious thoughts” (after 1150).^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)

+

+ The modern uses took shape in the 12th century: ''penser que'' “to believe that” (1155, Wace) and ''penser'' with an infinitive “to believe” (about 1165).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) ''À'' then replaced ''de'': ''penser à'' meant “to think lovingly of someone” (about 1165), “to remember, reflect on” (about 1200), “not to forget” (1306, Joinville) and “to provide for” (1636), as in ''penser à tout'' (1762).^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) Phrases include ''n'en penser pas moins'' (1377), ''penser à mal'' (1393), ''penser tout haut'' (1798) and ''bien penser'' “to hold the approved political opinions” (1823), now alive only in [[bien-pensant]]; the ironic ''pensez-vous !'' is recorded in 1935.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Late 10th century – ''Penser'' in the ''Passion de Clermont''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1080 – ''Se penser'' in the ''Chanson de Roland''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1155 – ''Penser que'' “to believe that”, in Wace.^(TLFi)

+ * 1155 – The infinitive used as a noun, ''un penser''.^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ * c. 1165 – ''Penser à'' someone one loves, in the ''Roman de Troie''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1306 – ''Penser à'' “not to forget”, in Joinville.^(TLFi)

+ * 1393 – ''Penser à mal'' in the ''Ménagier de Paris''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1798 – ''Penser tout haut'' in the Académie dictionary.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1935 – ''Pensez-vous ?'' in the Académie dictionary.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|think]], to use one's mind to form ideas and judgments: ''Je pense, donc je suis.''^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''Penser à'': to think of, to [[m|en|remember]], to take into account: ''Pense à fermer la porte.''^(Larousse)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # To believe, be of the [[m|en|opinion]] that: ''Je pense qu'il viendra.''^(Le Robert)^(TLFi)

+ # With an infinitive: to intend to, or to believe one does something: ''Je pense partir demain.''^(TLFi)^(Le Robert)

+ # To have an opinion of someone or something: ''Que pensez-vous de ce livre ?''^(TLFi)^(Larousse)

+ # To conceive, [[m|en|devise]]: ''penser un projet''.^(Littré 1873)^(TLFi)

+ # ''Pensez-vous !'', ''penses-tu !'': an ironic denial, “not at all”.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[pensable]]

+ * [[pensée]]

+ * [[penseur]]

+ * [[repenser]]

+ * [[pensif]]

+ * [[impensable]]

+ * [[bien-pensant]]

+ * [[pense-bête]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[peser]]

+ * [[la|pēnsō]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The infinitive is used as a masculine noun, ''un penser'' “a thought” (since 1155), now archaic or literary: ''Sur des pensers nouveaux faisons des vers antiques'' (André Chénier).^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}