ligne French · revision 17257

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /liɲ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ligne''' ''f'' (plural lignes)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French ''lign'' (masculine, 1080) “lineage”, ''ligne'' “cord” about 1140.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|līnea|t=linen thread, string; line]], the feminine used as a noun of [[m|la|līneus|t=of flax]], from [[m|la|līnum|t=flax]] (whence [[lin]]).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Wiktionary)^(FEW|5, 350a) In Latin it named a linen thread, then any cord, and by analogy a drawn or geometrical line; in imperial and later Latin it was also a line of descent.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) Bloch and Wartburg note that the sense “fishing line” was already Latin.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ Cognate with [[it|linea]], [[pro|linha]] and [[es|línea]].^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In the ''Chanson de Roland'' (about 1100) ''lign'', masculine, is a family line, the members of one lineage.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Until the 16th century ''ligne'' named a lineage, a sense later left to [[lignage]] and [[lignée]].^(DHLF 1992) As a cord it is found about 1140, and as a fishing line in Chrétien de Troyes (1181–90).^(TLFi) The idea of a drawn stroke followed (1165–70, a dividing line; a pen stroke in the 13th century), and with it a line of writing (mid-13th century), ''à la ligne'' (1685) and ''entrer en ligne de compte'' (after Montaigne's ''mettre en ligne de compte'', 1570).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ A row of soldiers or fortifications gave the military senses (1640–62) and ''en première ligne'' (1829); a continuous direction gave ''ligne de conduite'' and ''la droite ligne'' (1538).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) The 19th century brought the telegraph line (1800), the railway line (1817) and the regular transport service (1837–39).^(TLFi)^(BHVF) The figure of a body, ''avoir de la ligne'' (1872), and ''garder la ligne'' “to stay slim” are later, ''en ligne'' “online” is a computing sense.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary) The old measure ''ligne'', a twelfth of an inch, dates from 1289.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1100 – ''Lign'' “lineage”, ''Chanson de Roland''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1140 – “Cord”, ''Pèlerinage de Charlemagne''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1181–90 – A fishing line, Chrétien de Troyes.^(TLFi)

+ * Mid-13th century – A line of writing.^(TLFi)

+ * 1289 – A twelfth of an inch.^(TLFi)

+ * 1570 – ''Mettre en ligne de compte'', Montaigne.^(TLFi)

+ * 1662 – A line of troops.^(TLFi)

+ * 1800 – ''Ligne télégraphique''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1837 – A regular transport route.^(BHVF)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|line]], stroke: ''tracer une ligne droite'', ''ligne d'arrivée''.^(Larousse)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A line of writing or print: ''aller à la ligne'', ''lire entre les lignes''.^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # A row, ''(military)'' a line of troops or fortifications: ''en première ligne''.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)

+ # A route, service: ''ligne de métro'', ''ligne aérienne'', ''avion de ligne''.^(Wiktionary)^(BHVF)

+ # A wire, [[m|en|cable]]: ''ligne téléphonique'', ''ligne à haute tension'', ''en ligne'', online.^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # A fishing line: ''pêcher à la ligne''.^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873)

+ # A course of action, direction: ''ligne de conduite'', ''la ligne du parti''.^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The [[m|en|figure]], outline of the body: ''garder la ligne''.^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+ # ''(dated)'' A [[m|en|lineage]]: ''en ligne directe''.^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[aligner]]

+ * [[alignement]]

+ * [[lignage]]

+ * [[lignée]]

+ * [[interligne]]

+ * [[souligner]]

+ * [[ligner]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[linéaire]]

+ * [[lin]]

+ * [[linge]]

+ * [[la|līnea]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}