aimer French · revision 16278

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=late 9th century, Séquence de sainte Eulalie|origins=la amō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ɛ.me/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA: /e.me/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''aimer'''^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French infinitive [[m|fro|amer]], used until the 15th century; present ''aim'', ''aims'', ''aint''.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|amer]], [[inh|la|amō|t=to love]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(FEW|24, 386a) The infinitive “amer” was remade after the stressed forms such as “aime”, and “aimer” prevailed in the 16th century.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(GLLF 1989) Rey cites Ernout and Meillet's suggestion that the Latin verb was perhaps an expressive popular word, to be compared with [[la|amita|t=aunt]] and [[m|la|amma|t=mummy]].^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ Gilliéron, followed by Orr, thought that “aimer” had collided with Old French [[m|fro|esmer|t=to estimate]], from [[la|aestimō]], and taken over its senses; the TLFi finds this unconvincing, since their meanings lay far apart, and allows only that the Old French sense “to value at (a sum)” may owe something to “esmer”.^(TLFi) The verb belonged to the more refined language: dialects say “avoir cher” or “tenir cher” instead.^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

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+ Cognate with [[it|amare]], [[oc|amar]], [[ca|amar]], [[es|amar]] and [[pt|amar]].^(Petit Robert 2007)^(REW 1935)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found in the ''Séquence de sainte Eulalie'' (late 9th century) in the sense “to take pleasure in, be devoted to”: nothing could bend the girl so that she would not love the service of God.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Love of God is recorded in the ''Vie de saint Alexis'' (mid-11th century: ''Plus aimet Deu que trestot son lignage'' “he loves God more than all his kin”), and the sentimental and erotic sense by about 1150.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) The strong senses soon weakened to “have a taste for” food and drink (12th century).^(DHLF 1992) In Old French the verb also meant “to set a price on, value at (a sum)” (before 1181), a sense that did not survive.^(TLFi)

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+ The constructions followed one another: ''aimer à'' with a noun (mid-12th century), ''aimer que'' with the subjunctive (1370), ''aimer de'' with an infinitive (1550), ''aimer à'' with an infinitive (Montaigne) and finally ''aimer'' followed directly by the infinitive (18th century, Rousseau).^(DHLF 1992) ''Aimer mieux'' “to prefer” appears about 1300 and ''aimer bien'' in the 14th century, ''aimer autant'' means “to prefer” in France but “to feel like” in Belgium.^(DHLF 1992) Said of plants, ''aimer'' means “to thrive in” (1549).^(DHLF 1992) The proverbs ''qui aime bien châtie bien'' (14th century, first ''qui bien aime…'') and ''qui m'aime me suive'' (1690) are still in use.^(DHLF 1992)

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+ The old infinitive survives in the noun [[amant]], formed from ''amer'' (about 1130 “friend”, about 1160 “lover”).^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

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+ ==Timeline==

+ * Late 9th century – ''Amast'' in the ''Séquence de sainte Eulalie''.^(TLFi)

+ * Mid-11th century – Love of God in the ''Vie de saint Alexis''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1150 – Sentimental and erotic love.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * Before 1181 – “To value at a sum”, an Old French sense only.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1300 – ''Aimer mieux'' “to prefer”.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 16th century – ''Aimer'' replaces the infinitive ''amer''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1549 – Of plants, “to thrive in”.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1690 – ''Qui m'aime me suive''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 18th century – ''Aimer'' followed directly by an infinitive, in Rousseau.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To feel [[m|en|affection]], friendship or tenderness for someone: ''aimer ses enfants'', ''je l'aime bien''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)

+ # To be in [[m|en|love]] with someone, to love with passion.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # To [[m|en|like]], be fond of something or someone: ''aimer les animaux'', ''aimer Baudelaire''.^(GLLF 1989)^(Littré 1873)

+ # With an infinitive or ''que'': to like to, enjoy: ''Il aime lire.''^(Petit Robert 2007)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''Aimer mieux'': to [[m|en|prefer]], ''aimer autant'': to prefer, or in Belgium to feel like.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # Of plants: to thrive in: ''Cette plante aime l'ombre.''^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[aimé]]

+ * [[bien-aimé]]

+ * [[mal-aimé]]

+ * [[amant]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[amateur]]

+ * [[ami]]

+ * [[amie]]

+ * [[amour]]

+ * [[aimable]]

+ * [[la|amō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}