spécial French · revision 16806

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1130–60, Eneas (especiel)|origins=la speciēs}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /spe.sjal/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''spécial''' (feminine spéciale, masculine plural spéciaux, feminine plural spéciales)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French ''especiel'' (about 1130), ''especial'' (1150), still sometimes heard in popular speech, ''spécial'' from about 1190.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989) The Académie wrote ''special'' in 1694 and 1718, ''spécial'' from 1740.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|speciālis|t=special, particular; relating to a species]], opposed to [[m|la|generālis]] (see [[général]]),^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(FEW|12, 152b)^(Wiktionary) derived from [[m|la|speciēs|t=sight; appearance; kind, species]] (see [[espèce]]), which in philosophy rendered [[grc|εἶδος|tr=eîdos]].^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989) The Latin noun comes from the archaic verb [[m|la|speciō|t=to look]].^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ Compare [[pro|especial]], [[es|especial]] and [[it|speziale]].^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ ''Eneas'' (about 1160) has ''especïel'' “particular to a species, as opposed to general”, and the ''Roman de Troie'' (about 1165) ''special'' “having specific properties”.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ With the sense “particular”, it was applied until the 16th century to a close friendship (1339), a person remarkable for wisdom (1359), a devoted person (about 1430) and a rare thing (1501); Commynes writes of ''le plus especial amy qu'il eust''.^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873) ''Par especial'' “in particular” (1309) lasted into the 17th century.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ The idea of particularity was taken up in the 19th century in many fields: ''pouvoir spécial'' (Sieyès, 1789), ''école spéciale'' (1812), ''mathématiques spéciales'' (1872), ''fonds spéciaux'' “secret funds” (1876), ''armes spéciales'' (1876, now nuclear, chemical and biological weapons).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989) The sense “out of the ordinary, peculiar”, often pejorative, is dated to Flaubert (1857).^(GLLF 1989) Its derivatives are [[spécialiser]] (1823), [[spécialisation]] (1830) and [[spécialiste]] (1832).^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1160 – ''Especïel'', ''Eneas''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1190 – The form ''spécial''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1309 – ''Par especial''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1789 – ''Pouvoir spécial'', Sieyès.^(TLFi)

+ * 1832 – [[spécialiste]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1857 – “Peculiar”, Flaubert.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1872 – ''Mathématiques spéciales''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|special]], particular to a kind of thing, as opposed to general: ''des connaissances spéciales'', ''mathématiques spéciales'', the advanced class preparing for the grandes écoles.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # Peculiar to a person or group; set aside for a particular use: ''train spécial''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # For a particular occasion or task: ''édition spéciale'', ''envoyé spécial'', special correspondent.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(often pejorative)'' Out of the ordinary, [[m|en|peculiar]]: ''des goûts un peu spéciaux''.^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''Fonds spéciaux'': secret funds.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[spécialement]]

+ * [[spécialiser]]

+ * [[spécialisation]]

+ * [[spécialiste]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[spécialité]]

+ * [[espèce]]

+ * [[spécifique]]

+ * [[spécieux]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}