relation French · revision 16665

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1220, Gautier de Coinci (faire relation)|origins=la referō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ʁə.la.sjɔ̃/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''relation''' ''f'' (plural relations)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|relātiō|t=a report, account; a relation, connection]],^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(FEW|10, 228b) the noun formed on [[m|la|relātum]], the supine of [[m|la|referō|t=to carry back, report]] (see [[référer]], [[relater]]).^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)^(Littré 1873) From the 1st century the Latin noun had the legal value “testimony, report” and the logical one “link between two things”.^(DHLF 1992) Bloch and Wartburg treat the narrative and the philosophical senses as two borrowings.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) [[xno|relacion]] is recorded about 1136–65.^(AND)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Gautier de Coinci (about 1220) has ''faire relatïon'' “to report, relate”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In law it meant a report or testimony (1284), and, from 1602, with the Jesuit letters of Luís Fróis, the narrative of a traveller's distant expedition, Furetière's ''terme de relation'' (1690) is a native word brought back by a traveller.^(TLFi)^(Petit Robert 2007) The sense “link, connection” is in Brunetto Latini (about 1265), and a general reciprocal relation is recorded in 1338.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) ''Avoir relation à'' (Montaigne, 1588) gave way to ''être en relation avec'' (1718).^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ Applied to people it named ties of dependence and communication (Pascal, 1657, Fléchier, 1677), then ''avoir des relations'' (Montesquieu, 1721), ''relations sociales'' (Rousseau, 1755) and, in the plural, one's acquaintances (1813).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) From the 19th century ''relations'' are also official dealings between states (1835) and, elliptically, sexual relations.^(DHLF 1992) ''Relations publiques'' (1959) is a calque of [[en|public relations]], from the United States.^(DHLF 1992) Technical uses include music (''fausses relations'', 1634, Mersenne), geometry (1765) and ''vie de relation'' (Maine de Biran, 1814).^(TLFi)^(BHVF)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1136–65 – Anglo-Norman ''relacion''.^(AND)

+ * c. 1220 – ''Faire relation'' “to report”.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1265 – “Link, connection”, Brunetto Latini.^(TLFi)

+ * 1284 – Legal report.^(TLFi)

+ * 1602 – A traveller's narrative.^(TLFi)

+ * 1634 – ''Fausses relations'' in music, Mersenne.^(TLFi)

+ * 1657 – A tie between persons, Pascal.^(TLFi)

+ * 1718 – ''Être en relation avec''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1813 – ''Relations'' “acquaintances”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1959 – ''Relations publiques''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|relation]], link or connection between things: ''relation de cause à effet''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A tie or [[m|en|relationship]] between people: ''relations amicales'', ''être en relation avec quelqu'un''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An acquaintance, contact, ''avoir des relations'', to know influential people.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''Relations'' (plural): dealings between states or groups: ''relations internationales''; a sexual relationship.^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''Relations publiques'': [[m|en|public relations]].^(DHLF 1992)

+ # An account, report; a narrative of travel: ''relation d'un voyage en Chine''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(TLFi)

+ # ''(mathematics, music)'' A relation between quantities or sounds.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[relationnel]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[relater]]

+ * [[relatif]]

+ * [[référer]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}