comment French · revision 16308

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 1100, Chanson de Roland|origins=la quōmodo}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /kɔ.mɑ̃/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Louisiana): /kɔ̃.mɑ̃/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''comment'''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|fro|com|-ment]], from Old French [[m|fro|com|t=how, as]], the older form of [[comme]], and the adverbial suffix.^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)^(DHLF 1992)^(FEW|2, 1543a) “Com” continues [[la|quōmodo|t=in what way, how]], which had become “quomo” by the 5th century.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) According to Bloch and Wartburg, French has used “comment” in questions since the 11th century, the suffix “-ment” having passed from the adverbs used in answers to the interrogative adverb.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Littré cites Diez's derivation from “quōmodo mente” and proposes instead “quōmodo inde”, noting that no form “*commement” is ever found.^(Littré 1873)

+

+ The base “com” is cognate with [[ro|cum]], [[it|come]], [[es|como]] and [[pt|como]].^(REW 1935)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found about 1100 in the ''Chanson de Roland'', in an indirect question: ''Deus set asez cument la fins en ert'' “God knows well how the end will be”.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It long competed with ''comme'' in direct and indirect questions before supplanting it; until the end of the 17th century the two were often used interchangeably.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Used alone to express astonishment, ''comment !'' is found about 1175 in Chrétien de Troyes, and in direct questions about 1190.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) The old conjunction ''comment que'' “however” (about 1080) gave way to ''de quelque façon que''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ Greetings with ''comment'' have a long history: ''comment va ?'' (14th century), now familiar, ''comment ça va-t-il ?'' (1749) and ''comment ça va ?'' (1845, Flaubert).^(DHLF 1992) The noun, mostly in ''le pourquoi et le comment'', dates from about 1500.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) In Louisiana French, and informally in Quebec, ''comment'' also means “how many, how much”.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1080 – ''Comment que'' “however”, now obsolete.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1100 – ''Cument'' in an indirect question in the ''Chanson de Roland''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1175 – ''Comment !'' expressing surprise, in Chrétien de Troyes's ''Yvain''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1190 – Direct question, in the ''Livre des Rois''.^(TLFi)

+ * 14th century – ''Comment va ?''^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1500 – Used as a noun, in the ''Farce de Folle Bobance''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1845 – ''Comment ça va ?'' in Flaubert.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # How, in what [[m|en|manner]], by what means, in a direct question: ''Comment allez-vous ?''^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)

+ # How, in an indirect question: ''Dites-moi comment il faut faire.''^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+ # ''Comment ?'': asking someone to repeat: pardon?, what?^(GLLF 1989)^(Le Robert)

+ # Expressing [[m|en|surprise]] or indignation: ''Comment ! tu t'es encore trompé ?''^(Larousse)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # By extension, why: ''Comment n'êtes-vous pas avec les autres ?''^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(popular)'' ''Et comment !'': certainly, and how!^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''(Louisiana, informal Quebec)'' How many, how much.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # The manner or circumstances of something: ''le pourquoi et le comment''.^(Larousse)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[comme]]

+ * [[combien]]

+ * [[la|quōmodo]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}