hé French · revision 17317

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=onomatopoeia|attested=c. 1050, Vie de saint Alexis (e)}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /e/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''hé'''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is an imitative interjection, written “e” in Old French and “hé” from the 17th century.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989) It forms [[hélas]], from “hé” and Old French [[m|fro|las|t=wretched]], and [[ohé]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ As ''e'' it is found about 1050 in the ''Vie de saint Alexis'', as an interjection of invocation.^(GLLF 1989)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Molière writes ''hé'' in 1655 to express regret or surprise, and Furetière (1690) records it for calling someone or giving a warning.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989) Doubled, ''hé ! hé !'' takes on shades of approval, irony or hesitant agreement depending on the tone (Voltaire).^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007) ''Hélas'' is found in 1176–1184 (''elas''), and its two parts long stayed separate, with a feminine ''hélasse'', ''ohé'' is recorded as ''oé'' in 1215.^(DHLF 1992) In Canadian French ''hé'' is also used as a tag asking for agreement.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1050 – ''E'' in the ''Vie de saint Alexis''.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1176–1184 – ''Elas'' “alas”.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1215 – ''Oé''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1655 – ''Hé'' in Molière.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1690 – Furetière records it for calling someone.^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Interjection===

+ # [[m|en|hey]]: used to call someone or attract attention: ''hé ! vous, là-bas''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # Used to give a warning: ''hé ! prenez donc garde''.^(Littré 1873)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # Strengthening what follows: ''hé oui !'', ''hé bien !''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # Expressing regret or surprise: ''hé ! pauvre enfant''.^(GLLF 1989)^(Littré 1873)

+ # ''Hé ! hé !'': expressing approval, irony or teasing, depending on the tone.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''(Canada)'' A tag asking for agreement: eh?^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[hélas]]

+ * [[ohé]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[eh]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Hé'' is pronounced like ''eh'' and ''et''.^(Petit Robert 2007) In Belgium a separate noun ''hé'' means a wooded slope.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}