scène French · revision 16527

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1375, Raoul de Presles (plural)|origins=grc σκηνή}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /sɛn/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''scène''' ''f'' (plural scènes)^(Wiktionary)

+ The Académie wrote ''scene'' in 1694 and 1718, ''scène'' from 1740.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|scaena|t=stage of a theatre; theatre; public scene; play-acting, intrigue]], also “scēna”, which in late Latin also meant a part of an act.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989) The Latin word was taken from [[grc|σκηνή|tr=skēnḗ|t=tent, booth; stage]], a covered wooden structure where the plays were acted, whence the stage and a theatrical fiction.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007) Rey and Littré relate “skēnḗ” to [[m|grc|σκιά|tr=skiá|t=shadow]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873) Its sense “landscape” (1722) is a calque of [[en|scene]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found in the plural in Raoul de Presles' translation of Augustine's ''City of God'' (about 1375), of the theatrical performances of antiquity.^(GLLF 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The word is rare before the 17th century.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005) A division of an act is in Jodelle (before 1574), and the part of the theatre where the actors play in Du Bellay (1558).^(TLFi)^(BHVF) With classical drama it spread and entered many phrases: ''mettre sur la scène'' (1660), ''paraître sur la scène'' (1694), ''entrer en scène'' (1835); ''mettre en scène'' (1765) took its technical sense with ''mise en scène'' in 1835.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) By metonymy it meant the place of the action (Molière, 1665), the scenery (1671) and drama as an art (1646).^(TLFi)

+

+ From the 17th century it also named any striking or moving event (1660) and an outburst of anger, a row (1676, Mme de Sévigné), whence ''faire une scène à quelqu'un'' (1782) and ''scène de ménage'' (1875).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) In painting a ''scène'' is a composition with figures in action (1680).^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1375 – The theatre of antiquity, Raoul de Presles.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1558 – The stage, Du Bellay.^(TLFi)

+ * Before 1574 – A division of an act, Jodelle.^(BHVF)

+ * 1665 – The place of the action, Molière.^(TLFi)

+ * 1676 – A row, Mme de Sévigné.^(TLFi)

+ * 1722 – “Landscape”, after English ''scene''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1782 – ''Faire une scène à quelqu'un''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1835 – ''Mise en scène''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1875 – ''Scène de ménage''.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[m|en|stage]] of a theatre: ''entrer en scène'', ''sur scène'', ''mettre en scène'', to direct.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)^(Larousse)

+ # The theatre, drama as an art: ''les vedettes de la scène''.^(Larousse)

+ # The [[m|en|scenery]]; the place where the action happens: ''la scène se passe à Rome''.^(Larousse)^(TLFi)

+ # A [[m|en|scene]], a division of an act; a sequence of shots in a film.^(Larousse)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An event seen as a spectacle: ''une scène touchante''; in painting, a composition with figures: ''scène de genre''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # A [[m|en|row]], an outburst: ''faire une scène'', ''scène de ménage''.^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A field of activity: ''la scène politique''.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[avant-scène]]

+ * [[mise en scène]]

+ * [[metteur en scène]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[scénario]]

+ * [[scénique]]

+ * [[scénographe]]

+ * [[scénographie]]

+ * [[la|scaena]]

+ * [[en|scene]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}