personnage French · revision 16825

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 1223, Gautier de Coinci|origins=la persōna}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /pɛʁ.sɔ.naʒ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''personnage''' ''m'' (plural personnages)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|fr|personne|-age]],^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)^(Wiktionary)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989); Littré gives as its model [[la-lat|personaticum]].^(Littré 1873) [[m|la|persōna|t=actor's mask; character; person]] is, according to Bloch and Wartburg, of Etruscan origin.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ Littré notes that although the Latin word, meaning “mask”, belongs first to the theatre, the first sense French took from it was that of a person in the Church.^(Littré 1873) Bloch and Wartburg compare [[en|parsonage]] “benefice” and [[en|parson]], a frequent Old French sense of [[personne]] kept in [[br|person]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Compare [[pro|personatge]], [[es|personaje]] and [[it|personaggio]].^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Gautier de Coinci (about 1223) uses it in canon law for an important religious position; in 1226 it is the extent of a benefice, and in 1250 a church dignitary.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From church dignity the word passed to any person of standing (Henri Estienne, 1566).^(TLFi)^(Petit Robert 2007) In the theatre it is a fictional person acting in a play (1384), then a dramatic performance on historical or imaginary subjects (1461), and in the 15th century ''jeux de personnages'' were plays.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873) ''Jouer le personnage'' meant to put on a part to deceive (''Quinze joies de mariage'', second quarter of the 15th century), and Commynes (about 1500) has it for the part one plays in life.^(TLFi)

+

+ It was applied to the persons of a narrative in Montesquieu (1754) and recorded as ''personnage de roman'' by the Académie in 1878.^(TLFi) It has also named an image or statue representing a person (1422), and ''personnage allégorique'' is in Du Bos (1719).^(TLFi) Bloch and Wartburg date the modern sense of a person to 1403.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1223 – An important religious position, Gautier de Coinci.^(TLFi)

+ * 1250 – A church dignitary.^(TLFi)

+ * 1384 – A character in a play.^(TLFi)

+ * 1422 – An image of a person.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1500 – The part one plays in life, Commynes.^(TLFi)

+ * 1566 – A person of standing, Henri Estienne.^(TLFi)

+ * 1754 – A character in a narrative, Montesquieu.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A person of importance, a [[m|en|personage]], a dignitary: ''un grand personnage'', ''personnage historique''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(TLFi)

+ # ''(familiar)'' A person, an individual, often odd or remarkable.^(Wiktionary)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # A [[m|en|character]] in a play, film, novel or other work.^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+ # The part a person plays in life; a role adopted to impress or deceive: ''jouer un personnage''.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''(art)'' A human figure in a painting or sculpture.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[personne]]

+ * [[personnalité]]

+ * [[la|persōna]]

+ * [[en|personage]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}