transformer French · revision 16924

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1300, Jean de Meun, Consolation de Boèce|origins=la forma}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /tʁɑ̃s.fɔʁ.me/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''transformer'''^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French [[m|fro|tresformer]], a more popular form used from the 12th to the 14th century.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a learned remaking (about 1300) of Old French [[m|fro|tresformer]], [[bor|la|trānsfōrmō|t=to change in shape, metamorphose]].^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989) The Latin verb is formed from [[m|la|trāns|t=across, beyond]] and [[m|la|fōrmō|t=to shape]], from [[m|la|fōrma|t=form]].^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)

+

+ The Latin word also gave [[oc|transformar]], [[es|transformar]] and [[it|trasformare]].^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Jean de Meun's translation of Boethius (about 1300) uses it for giving a person or thing a new form, and ''transformer en'' for making something take the form or nature of another.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The pronominal ''se transformer'' is found early in the 14th century, in the ''Ovide moralisé''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) From about 1370 (Oresme) it was used of any thorough change, concrete or abstract, as when sermons cannot ''transformer et convertir à bien'' such people.^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ It took special uses in mathematics, ''transformer une équation'' (1755, ''Encyclopédie''), and in rugby, ''transformer un essai'' “to convert a try” (1891).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) Its derivatives include [[transformable]] (1555), [[transformateur]] (1575; in electricity from 1842, shortened to [[transfo]]) and [[transformisme]] (1867, Broca), the theory of evolution by successive changes.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 12th century – ''Tresformer'', in the ''Dialogues de saint Grégoire''.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * c. 1300 – ''Transformer'', in Jean de Meun.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+ * early 14th century – ''Se transformer'', in the ''Ovide moralisé''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1375 – The noun [[transformation]] is borrowed.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1755 – ''Transformer une équation'', in the ''Encyclopédie''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1842 – ''Transformateur'' in electricity.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1867 – ''Transformisme'', in Broca.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1891 – ''Transformer un essai'' in rugby.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|transform]], change the form or character of: ''transformer une maison'', ''transformer une matière première'', to process it.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To change (someone) visibly for the better: ''son séjour à l'étranger l'a transformé''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''Transformer en'': to turn into: ''Circé transforma les compagnons d'Ulysse en pourceaux''.^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''(reflexive)'' ''Se transformer'': to change, be turned (into something).^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(mathematics)'' To change (an equation or figure) into an equivalent one.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''(rugby)'' ''Transformer un essai'': to [[m|en|convert]] a try.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[transformateur]]

+ * [[transformable]]

+ * [[transformée]]

+ * [[transformisme]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[transformation]]

+ * [[former]]

+ * [[forme]]

+ * [[la|trānsfōrmō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}