mêler French · revision 16586

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 980, Passion de Clermont (mescler)|origins=la misceō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /mɛ.le/^(Wiktionary)

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

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''mêler'''^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French [[m|fro|mescler]] (about 980), ''mesler'' (late 11th century, still in the Académie of 1718); ''mêler'' from 1740.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|mesler]], [[inh|la-lat|misculō]] (attested in the 9th century), an extended form of [[la|misceō|t=to mix; to stir up]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Wiktionary)^(FEW|6/2, 158a) The root of “miscēre” is Indo-European, as in [[grc|μίσγω|tr=mísgō|t=to mix]] and [[de|mischen]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ Cognate with [[it|mischiare]], [[oc|mesclar]], [[es|mezclar]] and [[pt|mesclar]].^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ''Passion'' of Clermont (about 980) has ''mescler'' “to mix several things together”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the ''Chanson de Roland'' it means to pick a quarrel, and, from the 12th to the 14th century it was used for setting people against each other.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) About 1180 it is used for feelings joined together (''ire est mellee od amur'', Thomas's ''Tristan''), and ''se mêler'' “to get confused” (1180–90) survives in Canadian French, elsewhere replaced by ''s'emmêler''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ''Se mêler de'' “to concern oneself with” is from about 1160, and in the mid-13th century took the sense “to meddle”, ''mêler les cartes'' “to shuffle” is in Madame de Sévigné.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989) ''Mêler qqn à'' “to involve someone in” is from 1538.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 980 – ''Mescler'' “to mix”, ''Passion''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1100 – To quarrel, ''Chanson de Roland''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1160 – ''Se meller de'' “to deal with”.^(TLFi)

+ * mid-13th century – “To meddle”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1538 – To involve (someone).^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1740 – The spelling ''mêler''.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|mix]], blend, combine: ''mêler des couleurs'', ''mêler la gaieté à la tristesse''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To mix up, jumble; to [[m|en|shuffle]] (cards).^(Wiktionary)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # To involve (someone in something): ''être mêlé à un scandale''.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''Se mêler à'': to mingle with, join.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''Se mêler de'': to [[m|en|meddle]] in, interfere with: ''mêle-toi de tes affaires''.^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[mélange]]

+ * [[mêlée]]

+ * [[emmêler]]

+ * [[démêler]]

+ * [[méli-mélo]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[métis]]

+ * [[mixer]]

+ * [[mixte]]

+ * [[la|misceō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}