représenter French · revision 16742

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1175|origins=la praesēns}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ʁə.pʁe.zɑ̃.te/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''représenter'''^(Wiktionary)

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

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|repraesentō|t=to make present, bring before the eyes; to reproduce]], formed with the intensive [[m|la|re-]] on [[m|la|praesentō|t=to present]], from [[m|la|praesēns|t=present]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(FEW|10, 270a)^(Wiktionary) In Late Latin it also meant “to bring before someone” (6th century), “to hand over to justice” (8th century) and “to take someone's place” (5th century).^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ Compare [[oc|representar]], [[es|representar]] and [[it|rappresentare]].^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ About 1175 it means to make the image of an abstract thing appear, concretely or symbolically, and to bring someone or something back to memory.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ By the late 12th century it meant to present a play on stage, a sense Bloch and Wartburg date from 1538, and before 1553 to play a part.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007) About 1278 it is used of painting and sculpture (the ''Roman de la Rose'': ''car le vin son sang represente'').^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873) In law and administration, from 1283 (Beaumanoir: the bailiff ''represente la persone de son seigneur''), it meant to hold someone's place, to act for a group or country, and in general use from 1530, ''représenter'' “to be the sales representative of” followed in the 19th century.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ In classical French it also meant to point out respectfully (1611), whence ''représentations'' “remonstrances”.^(DHLF 1992) ''Représenter'' “to stand for, be the equivalent of” dates from 1708, and absolutely “to make an impression, have presence” from 1694.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1175 – “To represent; to recall”.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * Late 12th century – To present on stage.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1278 – In the visual arts.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1283 – “To act for”, in law.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1508 – ''Représentant'', in law.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1611 – “To point out respectfully”.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1708 – “To be the equivalent of”.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|represent]], depict: ''le tableau représente une scène de chasse''; to show by a sign or symbol.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To stand for, symbolize; to amount to: ''cela représente un gros effort''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # To act for, be the representative of: ''représenter son pays'', ''représenter une société''.^(Wiktionary)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # To perform, stage (a play).^(TLFi)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''Se représenter'': to imagine, picture: ''se représenter la scène''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # To present again (also ''se représenter'', to stand again, come up again: ''se représenter à un examen'').^(GLLF 1989)^(TLFi)

+ # ''(literary)'' To point out: ''représenter à quelqu'un les dangers de…''.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[représentation]]

+ * [[représentant]]

+ * [[représentatif]]

+ * [[représentable]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[présenter]]

+ * [[présent]]

+ * [[la|repraesentō]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The TLFi gives a numbered entry of its own to ''représenter'' “to present again”, formed in French with [[re-]] on [[présenter]]; it is found once in Adenet le Roi (about 1275) and again from 1800.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}