autrement French · revision 16926

18 Oct 2026, 14:01 by bogdan “French fr10k batch fr75p/b01 (10 entries)” current version
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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1080, Chanson de Roland|origins=la alter}}
+ 
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA: /o.tʁə.mɑ̃/^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Forms==
+ '''autrement''' (invariable)^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is [[af|fr|autre|-ment]]; the Old French form was [[m|fro|altrement]].^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)^(Littré 1873) Wiktionary traces it through Middle French [[m|frm|aultrement]] to the phrase [[la-med|alterā mente|t=in another mind, in another way]].^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ It matches [[oc|autrament]] and [[it|altramente]].^(Littré 1873)
+ 
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ The ''Chanson de Roland'' (1080) has ''altrement'' in the sense “otherwise, if not”: ''car altrement ne m'amerat il mie'' “for otherwise he will not love me at all”.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Littré 1873)
+ 
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ The sense “differently, in another way” is recorded from the middle of the 12th century.^(Grand Robert 2005) Anglo-Norman texts from 1113–1119 have it for “differently”, “otherwise, else” and “formerly”.^(AND)
+ 
+ In classical and literary French ''autrement'' meant “in other words”, as in Chateaubriand's ''George Sand, autrement Madame Dudevant'';^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007) ''autrement dit'' “in other words” is its modern form.^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007) It also became an intensifier, “far more, to a much greater degree”, as in ''bien autrement destructives''.^(GLLF 1989)
+ 
+ ==Timeline==
+ * 1080 – ''Altrement'' “otherwise”, in the ''Chanson de Roland''.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)
+ * 1113–1119 – Anglo-Norman ''autrement'' “differently, otherwise”.^(AND)
+ * mid-12th century – “Differently, in another way”.^(Grand Robert 2005)
+ 
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Adverb===
+ # [[m|en|differently|alt=Differently]], in another way: ''il faut procéder autrement'', ''je n'ai pas pu faire autrement que d'y aller'', I had no choice but to go.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)
+ # ''Autrement dit'': in other words.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)
+ # [[m|en|otherwise|alt=Otherwise]], or else, if not.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)
+ # ''(with bien, tout)'' Far more, to a much greater degree: ''bien autrement''.^(GLLF 1989)
+ 
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[autre]]
+ * [[la|alter]]
+ 
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}