remercier French · revision 17098

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=first half of the 13th century, Guillaume de Palerne|origins=la mercēs}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ʁə.mɛʁ.sje/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''remercier'''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|fr|re-|mercier]], from Old French [[m|fro|mercier|t=to thank]] (“Chanson de Roland”, about 1100), from [[merci]].^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)^(FEW|6/2, 17a) “Merci” is from [[la|mercēs|t=wages; price; favour]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) “Mercier” remained in use until the 16th or 17th century.^(Littré 1873)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ ''Guillaume de Palerne'' (first half of the 13th century) uses it for giving thanks, expressing gratitude; the Grand Robert dates it to about 1174 (Étienne de Fougères).^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Littré thought ''remercier'' became common only around the 15th century, and Bloch and Wartburg's first example is from Froissart.^(Littré 1873)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) In the 17th century it took on ironic and polite extended senses: to repay badly (Racine, ''Les Plaideurs'', 1668), to dismiss someone from a post (Bossuet, 1687), and to decline something politely (Furetière, 1690); ''se remercier de'' “to congratulate oneself” is in Retz.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1100 – The simple verb ''mercier'', ''Chanson de Roland''.^(TLFi)

+ * first half of the 13th century – ''Remercier'', ''Guillaume de Palerne''.^(TLFi)

+ * 15th century – The derivative ''remerciement''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1668 – Ironic “to repay badly”, Racine.^(TLFi)

+ * 1687 – “To dismiss”, Bossuet.^(TLFi)

+ * 1690 – “To decline politely”, Furetière.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|thank]]: ''je vous remercie de votre aide'', ''remercier pour un cadeau''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To decline politely: ''je vous remercie'', no thank you.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''(euphemistic)'' To [[m|en|dismiss]], let go (an employee).^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[remerciement]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[merci]]

+ * [[la|mercēs]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}