bonsoir French · revision 17153

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=late 15th century, Olivier de la Marche}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /bɔ̃.swaʁ/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (France): [bõ.swaːʁ]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Canada, standard): [bɔ̃.swɑːʁ]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Quebec, informal): [bɒ̃ʊ̯̃.swɔːʁ]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''bonsoir''' ''m'' (plural bonsoirs); also an interjection^(Wiktionary)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|fr|bon|soir|t1=good|t2=evening]].^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Wiktionary) “Soir” is from [[la|sērō|t=late]], an adverb.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) An older greeting was “bon vêpre”, still used by Molière: ''Je donne le bon vêpre à l'honorable compagnie''.^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found at the end of the 15th century, in Olivier de la Marche.^(GLLF 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Popular uses include ''dire bonsoir à la compagnie'' “to die” and ''bonsoir !'' “it's all over”, recorded by Littré.^(Littré 1873) ''Bien le bonsoir'' is found in comedies of 1794 and 1798, and as a way of dismissing someone in Courteline (1886).^(BHVF) ''Bonsoir de bonsoir !'' is a mild oath, influenced by ''bon sang''.^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * late 15th century – First recorded.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1794 – ''Bien le bonsoir''.^(BHVF)

+ * 1886 – ''Bien le bonsoir'' to dismiss someone, Courteline.^(BHVF)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Interjection===

+ # [[m|en|good evening]], a greeting on meeting or leaving someone in the evening: ''bonsoir, Monsieur'', ''bonsoir à tous''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+ # Good night, before going to bed.^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(familiar)'' It's over, that's the end of it: ''l'avancement, bonsoir !''^(GLLF 1989)^(Larousse)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # The greeting “good evening”: ''souhaiter le bonsoir'', ''dis bonsoir à papa'', ''c'est bonjour bonsoir'', a mere nodding acquaintance.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[soir]]

+ * [[bonjour]]

+ * [[bonne nuit]]

+ * [[soirée]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}