propos French · revision 17203

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=back-formation|attested=late 12th century (purpos)}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /pʁɔ.po/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''propos''' ''m'' (invariable)^(Wiktionary)

+ ''Purpos'' (about 1180); ''propos'' from the 13th century.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a deverbal noun [[der|fr|proposer|t=to propose]], modelled on [[la|prōpositum|t=plan, intention; theme]], the neuter past participle of [[m|la|prōpōnō|t=to set forth]].^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(FEW|8, 71a) “Proposer” is itself the Latin verb refashioned after [[poser]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) The sense “talk exchanged in conversation” developed in French about the 15th century.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ At the end of the 12th century ''purpos'' is what one intends to do, an intention or plan, Manessier's continuation of ''Perceval'' (1214–27) has the same sense, and ''ferm propos'' “firm resolution” is found in 1216.^(GLLF 1989)^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ About 1380 it named the subject one sets out to treat, and about 1510 the words exchanged in conversation, in the plural.^(TLFi) Commynes, at the end of the 15th century, has ''a tous propos'' “at every moment” and ''à propos'' “at the right moment”, ''bien'' and ''mal a propos'' are in Robert Estienne (1538), ''à propos de'' “about” and ''à ce propos'' in Montaigne (1580).^(TLFi) ''À propos'' opening a sentence, “by the way”, is found in 1579.^(TLFi)^(BHVF) The noun ''à-propos'' (1700) named a piece written for an occasion.^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Old games of ''propos interrompus'' are recorded from 1704.^(GLLF 1989)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1180 – ''Purpos'', an intention.^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ * 1216 – ''Ferm propos''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1380 – The subject of a work, Jean Lefèvre.^(TLFi)

+ * Late 15th century – ''À propos'' and ''a tous propos'', Commynes.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1510 – Words in a conversation.^(TLFi)

+ * 1579 – ''À propos'' introducing a sentence.^(BHVF)

+ * 1580 – ''À propos de'', Montaigne.^(TLFi)

+ * 1584 – ''Avant-propos''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1700 – ''À-propos'', an occasional piece.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(literary)'' An intention, [[m|en|purpose]], aim: ''ce n'est pas mon propos'', ''de propos délibéré'', ''(religion)'' ''ferme propos''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)

+ # ''(usually plural)'' Words, [[m|en|remark|alt=remarks]]: ''des propos déplacés'', ''tenir des propos''.^(Larousse)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''À propos de'': about, concerning, ''à ce propos'', ''à tout propos'', at every turn, ''hors de propos'', irrelevant.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+ # ''À propos'': at the right moment, fittingly, ''mal à propos''; as an interjection, by the way.^(GLLF 1989)^(Larousse)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[à-propos]]

+ * [[avant-propos]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[proposer]]

+ * [[proposition]]

+ * [[poser]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}