compagnon French · revision 16852

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1100, Chanson de Roland|origins=la-lat companio}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /kɔ̃.pa.ɲɔ̃/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''compagnon''' ''m'' (plural compagnons, feminine compagne)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French nominative [[m|fro|cumpainz]], [[m|fro|compain]], oblique [[m|fro|cumpaignun]], [[m|fro|compaignon]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|compaignon]], the old oblique case, [[inh|la-lat|companio|t=companion]], through the accusative [[m|la-lat|companiōnem]]; the old nominative [[m|fro|compain]] survives in [[copain]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) The Late Latin word, first found in the “Lex Salica”, is formed from [[m|la|cum|t=with]] and [[m|la|pānis|t=bread]], “one who shares bread with”.^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ It is a calque of a Germanic military word brought by the Germanic soldiers of the late Roman army, such as [[got|𐌲𐌰𐌷𐌻𐌰𐌹𐌱𐌰|tr=gahlaiba|t=messmate]], from [[m|got|𐌲𐌰-|tr=ga-|t=with]] and [[m|got|𐌷𐌻𐌰𐌹𐍆𐍃|tr=hlaifs|t=bread]]; compare [[goh|galeipo]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Wiktionary) It probably existed beside Latin [[m|la|contubernālis|t=tent-mate]], which may have favoured the calque with “com-”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ The shifting stress of [[m|la-lat|compánio]], [[m|la-lat|companiónem]] explains the separate nominative and oblique forms, as in [[pro|companh]] and [[m|pro|companho]]; compare [[it|compagno]].^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ''Chanson de Roland'' (about 1100) uses ''cumpainz'' and ''cumpaignun'' for someone who lives habitually with another: ''ne Oliver, por ce qu'est sis cumpainz'' “nor Oliver, because he is his companion”.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The old sense, someone who shares one's life and activities, gradually gave way to more precise words such as [[condisciple]], [[commensal]] and [[collègue]]; today it mostly means a person who goes with another (1549), as in ''compagnon de voyage'' and, from 1568, ''compagnon d'infortune''.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) It has also been said of an object one is attached to (1535).^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ A special sense, a worker who has finished his apprenticeship (1455), lives on in the crafts and gave [[compagnonnage]] (1719), the old workers' guilds; in freemasonry it is a grade (1866).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) The feminine [[compagne]] (before 1200) was formed on the nominative ''compain''.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1100 – ''Cumpainz'', ''cumpaignun'', in the ''Chanson de Roland''.^(TLFi)

+ * before 1200 – The feminine ''compangne''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1455 – A journeyman who has completed his apprenticeship.^(TLFi)

+ * 1549 – “One who goes with someone”, in Robert Estienne.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1568 – ''Compagnon de'' with a word of feeling (''d'infortune'').^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1719 – ''Compagnonnage''.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1866 – A grade in freemasonry.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|companion]], someone who shares another's life, work or activities: ''compagnon de voyage'', ''compagnon d'armes'', ''compagnon de route''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A partner in life, a man living with a woman.^(Wiktionary)

+ # A friend, [[m|en|mate]], ''(dated)'' ''un joyeux compagnon'', a jolly fellow.^(Wiktionary)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''Compagnon d'infortune'': a fellow sufferer.^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # A [[m|en|journeyman]], a craftsman who has finished his apprenticeship, especially a member of a ''compagnonnage''.^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+ # ''(freemasonry)'' The second grade, a fellow craft.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[compagne]]

+ * [[accompagner]]

+ * [[compagnonnage]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[compagnie]]

+ * [[copain]]

+ * [[pain]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}