lequel French · revision 16697

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=c. 1100, Chanson de Roland (liquels)|origins=la ille, la quālis}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /lə.kɛl/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''lequel''' ''m'' (feminine ''laquelle'', plurals ''lesquels'', ''lesquelles''); with ''à'' and ''de'': ''auquel'', ''auxquels'', ''auxquelles'', ''duquel'', ''desquels'', ''desquelles''^(Wiktionary)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ Old French ''liquels'', ''li quels'', ''le queil'', ''li quiex''.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|fr|le|quel]].^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)^(Littré 1873)^(FEW|2, 1412a) The interrogative [[quel]] continues [[la|quālis|t=of what kind]],^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) and the article [[le]] continues [[la|ille|t=that]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Compare [[it|il quale]] and [[es|el cual]], formed the same way.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ''Chanson de Roland'' (about 1100) has the interrogative in an indirect question, implying a choice: ''E il ne savent liquels d'els la vaincra'' “and they do not know which of them will win it”.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ As a relative it is found in the prologue of the ''Vie de saint Alexis'' (before 1123), both as subject and after a preposition (''del quel nus avum oït lire e canter'').^(TLFi) It also served in Old French as an indefinite pronoun, ''li quiex qui soit'' (about 1150), and, from 1160–74 as a relative adjective (''laquelle somme'').^(TLFi) Benoît de Sainte-Maure (about 1175) used neuter ''le quel'' in the sense “whether”.^(TLFi)

+

+ As a relative subject, ''lequel'' gave way to ''qui'' and is now found mainly in legal style, or to avoid ambiguity; after a preposition it remains normal (''la personne à laquelle'', ''le livre duquel'').^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1100 – Interrogative ''liquels'', ''Chanson de Roland''.^(TLFi)

+ * Before 1123 – Relative, ''Vie de saint Alexis''.^(TLFi)

+ * First half of the 12th century – Direct question, Oxford Psalter.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1150 – Indefinite ''li quiex qui soit'', ''Roman de Thèbes''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1160–74 – Relative adjective, Wace.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Pronoun===

+ # ''(relative, after a preposition)'' [[m|en|which]], whom: ''la table sur laquelle'', ''les amis auxquels j'ai écrit''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(relative subject, legal or literary)'' Who, which, used to avoid ambiguity: ''une sœur de Colin, laquelle le rendit heureux''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''(interrogative)'' Which one: ''lequel préférez-vous ?'', ''n'importe lequel'', any one.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # ''(relative, formal or legal)'' Which: ''auquel cas'', ''laquelle somme''.^(TLFi)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[auquel]]

+ * [[duquel]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[quel]]

+ * [[le]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}