danser French · revision 16523

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1170, Chrétien de Troyes (dancier)}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /dɑ̃.se/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''danser'''^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French ''dancier'', ''dancer'' (about 1170); ''danser'' from the 13th century.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is uncertain.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007) Because it is a word of the langue d'oïl, used for elegant and stately dances as opposed to the descendants of [[la-lat|ballō|alt=ballāre]] (whence [[bal]]), it is probably Germanic.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Bloch and Wartburg, the FEW and the GLLF propose [[frk|*dintjan|t=to move to and fro]], reconstructed from Dutch “deinzen”, Frisian “dintje” and Icelandic “dynta”, but the “a” of all the French forms is against it.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(TLFi)^(FEW|15/2, 61a)^(GLLF 1989) A Frankish “*dansôn”, from Old High German “dansôn” “to draw”, poses problems of form and sense, V. Günther suggested an early doublet “*dansjan”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) Pierre Guiraud proposed instead a popular Latin “*deantiare” “to move forward”, a doublet of the source of [[avancer]].^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ From northern France the word spread to [[it|danzare]], [[es|danzar]], [[de|tanzen]] and [[en|dance]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Chrétien de Troyes (about 1170, ''Erec'') uses it for performing a series of steps in time with music.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Robert de Houdenc (1200–20) uses it of things that move in rhythm, and later it is said of flames and light.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989) It ousted the older Old French ''baller''.^(Wiktionary) The noun [[danse]] is from the 12th century, and ''danseur'' from Charles d'Orléans.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(DHLF 1992) Familiar extensions stress rough treatment: ''la danser'' “to get a beating” (1691), ''faire danser quelqu'un'' (1640).^(BHVF)^(GLLF 1989) ''Ne savoir sur quel pied danser'' is found in 1610, and ''danser devant le buffet'' “to go hungry” and ''faire danser l'anse du panier'' “to fiddle the shopping money” are 19th-century.^(BHVF)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1170 – ''Dancier'', Chrétien de Troyes.^(TLFi)

+ * 12th century – ''Danse''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1200–20 – Of things, Robert de Houdenc.^(TLFi)

+ * 15th century – ''Danseur'', Charles d'Orléans.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1610 – ''Ne savoir sur quel pied danser''.^(BHVF)

+ * 1691 – ''La danser'' “to get a beating”.^(BHVF)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|dance]]: ''apprendre à danser'', ''danser la valse'', ''faire danser quelqu'un''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Of things, to move rhythmically, flicker, bob: ''la flamme danse''.^(GLLF 1989)^(Le Robert)

+ # ''Ne pas savoir sur quel pied danser'': not to know what to do.^(Le Robert)^(BHVF)

+ # ''Danser devant le buffet'': to have nothing to eat.^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[danse]]

+ * [[danseur]]

+ * [[dansant]]

+ * [[dansoter]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[bal]]

+ * [[ballet]]

+ * [[dancing]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}