américain French · revision 17219

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1556 (amérique); 1576 (ameriquain)|origins=la-new America}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /a.me.ʁi.kɛ̃/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Louisiana): [ɑ̃.me.ɾi.kɛ̃]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Louisiana): [ɑ̃.ma.ri.kɛ̃]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Louisiana, also): [me.ɾi.kɛ̃]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''américain''' (feminine américaine, masculine plural américains, feminine plural américaines)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|fr|Amérique|-ain]].^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989) “Amérique” is the French form of [[la-new|America]], a name the cosmographer Martin Waldseemüller coined in 1507 after the navigator “Amerigo Vespucci”, whom he credited with the discovery of the New World.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007) An adjective “amérique” (1556) preceded “ameriquain” (1576).^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Thevet (1556) calls the natives of the New World ''noz Ameriques'', ''ameriquain'' is found in 1576, at first of the native peoples of Central and South America.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 17th and 18th centuries it was also used of the Indians of North America, ''avoir l'œil américain'' “to have a sharp eye” (1834) alludes to the keen sight of the Indians in Fenimore Cooper's novels.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989) After American independence it came to mean “of the United States”, first as a noun (1783–84), now its usual sense; colonists of the future United States are already ''Américains'' in 1766.^(DHLF 1992)^(BHVF) The influence of the United States produced many phrases: ''vol à l'américaine'' (1840), ''homard à l'américaine'' (1867), ''course à l'américaine'' (1933), ''vedette américaine'' and ''nuit américaine''.^(DHLF 1992) ''Une américaine'' is an American car or cigarette, and ''l'américain'' American English.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007) In Belgium ''filet américain'' is steak tartare.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1556 – ''Amérique'', of the natives, Thevet.^(TLFi)

+ * 1576 – ''Ameriquain''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1766 – Colonists in North America.^(BHVF)

+ * 1783 – “Of the United States”.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ * 1834 – ''Avoir l'œil américain''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1867 – ''Homard à l'américaine''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|American|alt=American]], of the United States: ''le cinéma américain''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Of the Americas: ''le continent américain''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)

+ # ''À l'américaine'': in the American style, ''(cooking)'' with a sauce of tomatoes, shallots, white wine and brandy: ''homard à l'américaine''.^(GLLF 1989)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # Set phrases: ''vedette américaine'', supporting act, ''nuit américaine'', day for night, ''avoir l'œil américain'', to have a sharp eye.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''Américain'', ''Américaine'': an American.^(Wiktionary)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''L'américain'': American English.^(Larousse)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''Une américaine'': an American car or cigarette, ''(cycling)'' a madison.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[américaniser]]

+ * [[américanisation]]

+ * [[américanisme]]

+ * [[américaniste]]

+ * [[nord-américain]]

+ * [[sud-américain]]

+ * [[latino-américain]]

+ * [[ricain]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Amérique]]

+ * [[amérindien]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}