compter French · revision 17375

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /kɔ̃.te/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''compter'''^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French [[m|fro|cunter]] (1080), ''conter'' (1172–1175); the Latinizing spelling ''compter'' appeared in the 13th century and became usual in the 15th.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|cunter]], [[inh|la|computō|t=to calculate, reckon; to include in a count]], from [[m|la|com-]] and [[m|la|putō|t=to prune; to settle an account; to reckon, think]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(FEW|2, 992a) In spoken Latin “computāre” must have taken the sense “to tell”, through “to enumerate”.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007) The etymological spelling “compter” allowed the senses to be divided: “compter” for counting, “conter” for telling, which are thus doublets, as is the English borrowing [[computer]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Wiktionary) German “zählen” “to count” and “erzählen” “to tell” show the same development.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ Compare [[it|contare]], [[oc|comtar]], [[ca|comptar]], [[es|contar]] and [[pt|contar]].^(REW 1935)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found in the ''Chanson de Roland'' (about 1100) as the intransitive ''cunter'' “to calculate”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The transitive “to count up” is from the middle of the 12th century, ''conter les jorz'' in Chrétien de Troyes (1172–1175), and ''à compter du'' “from” in 1348.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) “To include in a count” is in Philippe de Thaon (1115–1130), and “to regard as” in Chrétien de Troyes; at the end of the 12th century it also meant “to charge, put a price on”.^(TLFi) Molière used it of time allotted (1669), and Richelet records ''compter les morceaux'' “to be stingy” (1680).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ Later senses include “to intend” (''je compte partir''), “to rely on” (''compter sur''), and the intransitive “to matter”, as in ''c'est l'intention qui compte''.^(Wiktionary)^(GLLF 1989) Derivatives include [[comptant]] (1265), [[comptoir]] (1354), [[comptable]] (1340) and [[compteur]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1100 – ''Cunter'' “to calculate”, in the ''Chanson de Roland''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1115–1130 – “To include in a count”, in Philippe de Thaon.^(TLFi)

+ * 1172–1175 – ''Conter les jorz'' in Chrétien de Troyes.^(TLFi)

+ * 1265 – ''Comptant''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1348 – ''À compter du'', and the spelling ''compter''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1354 – ''Comptoir''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 15th century – ''Compter'' becomes the usual spelling for counting.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1680 – ''Compter les morceaux'', in Richelet.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|count]]: ''compter les voix'', ''compter jusqu'à dix''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To include, number: ''la ville compte dix mille habitants''.^(Wiktionary)

+ # To [[m|en|reckon]], allow for; to charge: ''sans compter les frais''.^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+ # ''Compter sur'': to rely on.^(Wiktionary)

+ # To [[m|en|intend]], expect to: ''je compte partir demain''.^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(intransitive)'' To matter, ''count'': ''c'est l'intention qui compte''.^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''À compter de'': as from.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[compte]]

+ * [[comptant]]

+ * [[comptable]]

+ * [[comptage]]

+ * [[compteur]]

+ * [[comptoir]]

+ * [[compte-gouttes]]

+ * [[décompter]]

+ * [[escompter]]

+ * [[recompter]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[conter]]

+ * [[raconter]]

+ * [[conte]]

+ * [[computer]]

+ * [[putatif]]

+ * [[la|computō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}