signer French · revision 17054

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1100, Chanson de Roland (seignier)|origins=la signum}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /si.ɲe/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''signer'''^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French ''seignier'', ''seigner'', ''sener'', ''signier'' from about 1230.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Into the 17th century it was pronounced ''siner''.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|seignier]], remade after [[signe]], [[inh|la|signō|t=to mark with a sign; to seal; to designate]], from [[m|la|signum|t=sign, mark]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(GLLF 1989)^(Wiktionary)^(FEW|11, 601a) Rabelais (1534) still wrote “se seigner” for crossing oneself.^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ Compare [[it|segnare]] and [[pro|senhar]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In the ''Chanson de Roland'' (about 1100) ''seignier'' is to make the sign of the cross over someone: ''De sa main destre l'ad asols e seignet'' “with his right hand he absolved him and blessed him with the sign of the cross”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Old French it also meant to marvel and to swear, both accompanied by the sign of the cross, and, after Latin, to mark with a sign (first half of the 12th century), from which came stamping measures (1265) and silver plate (1363), sealing a letter (about 1328) and, until the 17th century, making a sign to someone.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ The modern sense “to put one's signature to” appears with the participle ''signé'' in 1521 and the verb in Robert Estienne (1538), probably drawn from [[signature]] (1430); ''prêt à signer de son sang'' is in Nicot (1606).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) An artist's signing of a work is recorded in Marat (1789), and ''se signer'' “to cross oneself” in Cotgrave (1611).^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1100 – ''Seignier'' “to bless with the sign of the cross”, ''Chanson de Roland''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1230 – ''Signier de l'oiel'' “to wink”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1363 – To stamp silver plate.^(TLFi)

+ * 1521 – ''Signé'' “bearing a signature”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1538 – “To sign”, Robert Estienne.^(TLFi)

+ * 1611 – ''Se signer'', Cotgrave.^(TLFi)

+ * 1789 – To sign a work, Marat.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|sign]], put one's [[m|en|signature]] to: ''signer une lettre, un chèque, un contrat''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To sign (a work) as its author, ''c'est signé'', it bears the person's stamp.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(TLFi)

+ # ''Se signer'': to cross oneself.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(technical)'' To mark with a stamp: ''signer des pièces d'orfèvrerie''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # To communicate in [[m|en|sign language]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[signataire]]

+ * [[signature]]

+ * [[contresigner]]

+ * [[soussigner]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[signe]]

+ * [[seing]]

+ * [[la|signō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}