garçon French · revision 17410

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1100, Chanson de Roland|origins=frk *wrakkjō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ɡaʁ.sɔ̃/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''garçon''' ''m'' (plural garçons)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French ''garçun'' (1080); it was the object case of ''gars'', which remained as a popular and regional word.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|garçon]], the object case of [[m|fro|gars]], probably [[bor|frk|*wrakkjō|t=vagabond, outcast]], object case “*wrakkjone”, later “*wrakjóne” with a shift of stress (compare the latinized “waracionem”, 7th century, and the personal name “Wracchio”, 9th century).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007) The Frankish word is reconstructed from [[goh|hrechjo|t=fugitive, exile]], [[osx|wrekkio|t=fugitive, wretch]] and [[dum|recke|t=exile]]; compare [[de|Recke|t=hero]] and [[en|wretch]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Etymonline) Wiktionary takes it through Early Medieval Latin [[m|la-med|garciō]] to [[gem-pro|*wrakjô|t=exile, one driven out]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Pierre Guiraud rejected the Germanic origin and saw a Romance word, from “*carptio”, a doublet of [[la|carptor|t=slave who carved the meat]], from a verb “*carptiare” “to tear, cut up”, an alteration of [[m|la|carpō]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005) Littré, following Diez, already found the word very difficult.^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found as ''garçun'' in the ''Chanson de Roland'' (about 1100) meaning a servant of low rank, especially in the army, the kitchen or the hunt; it was also a term of abuse.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the Middle Ages ''garçon'' meant a young man of low birth, the noble youth being a ''valet'' or ''varlet'', ''bachelier'' and ''damoiseau'' stressed youth rather than birth.^(DHLF 1992) The sense “male child, young man” is found about 1160 (''Roman d'Eneas''), and “son” in 1564, Bloch and Wartburg date its spread to the 16th century.^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ From “servant” came “journeyman, shop assistant” (1554) and the café waiter (1750).^(TLFi) The sense “bachelor” dates from 1636, whence ''vie de garçon'', ''enterrer sa vie de garçon'' (1929) and ''garçonnière'' “bachelor flat” (1835).^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) ''La Garçonne'' (1922) is a novel by Victor Margueritte.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) English ''garçon'' for a waiter is a later borrowing, ''garcon'' “boy, youth” is found about 1300.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1100 – ''Garçun'' “servant” in the ''Chanson de Roland''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1160 – “Boy, young man”, in the ''Roman d'Eneas''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1185 – ''Garçonnet''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1554 – A journeyman, in Gouberville.^(TLFi)

+ * 1564 – “Son”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1636 – “Bachelor”, in Monet.^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1750 – A café waiter.^(TLFi)

+ * 1835 – ''Garçonnière''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1922 – ''Garçonne'', in Victor Margueritte.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|boy]], a male child: ''les filles et les garçons'', ''garçon manqué'', a tomboy.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # A son: ''ils ont deux garçons''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(TLFi)

+ # A young man; a fellow: ''un brave garçon'', ''un beau garçon''.^(TLFi)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # A [[m|en|bachelor]]: ''rester garçon'', ''vie de garçon''.^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ # A [[m|en|waiter]] in a café: ''Garçon !'', ''(dated)'' a journeyman or shop assistant.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[garçonnet]]

+ * [[garçonnière]]

+ * [[garçonne]]

+ * [[garce]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fille]]

+ * [[fils]]

+ * [[gars]]

+ * [[en|wretch]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}