raconter French · revision 17411

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1130–1140, Wace|origins=la computō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ʁa.kɔ̃.te/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''raconter'''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|fro|re-|aconter|t2=to describe, relate]], Old French “aconter” (“Chanson de Roland”) being formed in turn from [[m|fro|a-]] and [[conter]].^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(FEW|2, 995a)^(Wiktionary) Bloch and Wartburg note that the repetitive sense of “re-” is still felt in the earliest texts.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Old French also had “reconter” “to tell” (1119, Philippe de Thaon).^(TLFi) “Conter” continues [[la|computō|t=to count, reckon]], which took the sense “to tell” in popular speech, as [[de|zählen]] “to count” beside [[de|erzählen]] “to tell”; the spelling “compter” was later kept for counting.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found in Wace's ''Vie de sainte Marguerite'' (1130–1140) in the sense “to give a detailed account”, in ''raconter que''; in his ''Roman de Rou'' (1160–1174) an epitaph ''raconte sez fez et comment il vesqui'' “tells his deeds and how he lived”.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Jean de Meun uses it for “to explain, depict” (1269–1278); with a person as object it is in La Fontaine (1679: ''Je vous raconterai Térée''), and with a thing as subject in Fontenelle (''les cieux qui racontent la gloire de leur créateur'').^(TLFi) The reflexive ''se raconter'' “to talk about oneself” dates from Vauvenargues (1746).^(TLFi)

+

+ The familiar ''en raconter'' is recorded by the Académie in 1798, and “to say lightly or in bad faith”, as in ''qu'est-ce que tu racontes ?'', in Zola (1877).^(TLFi) The noun ''racontar'' “piece of gossip” dates from 1867.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1100 – Old French ''aconter'' in the ''Chanson de Roland''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1130–1140 – ''Raconter'' in Wace.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1200 – ''Racontable''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1679 – With a person as object, in La Fontaine.^(TLFi)

+ * 1746 – ''Se raconter'', in Vauvenargues.^(TLFi)

+ * 1867 – ''Racontar''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1877 – “To talk nonsense”, in Zola.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|tell]], relate, [[m|en|narrate]]: ''raconter une histoire'', ''raconter ce qui s'est passé''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # To describe, depict.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(TLFi)

+ # ''(familiar)'' To say, talk about, often lightly or untruthfully: ''qu'est-ce que tu racontes ?'', ''raconter sa vie'', to go on and on.^(TLFi)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''Se raconter'': to talk about oneself.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[racontar]]

+ * [[racontable]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[conter]]

+ * [[compter]]

+ * [[conte]]

+ * [[la|computō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}