assister French · revision 17494

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1372, Jean Corbichon|origins=la stō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /a.sis.te/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''assister'''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|assistō|t=to stand by; to be present; to help]], a form of [[m|la|adsistō]], from [[m|la|ad-]] and [[m|la|sistō|t=to stand]], a reduplicated form of [[m|la|stō|t=to stand]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)^(Wiktionary)^(FEW|25, 562a) It was first used in the present participle (1372).^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) The Latin verb meant “to be beside” and “to be present”, then “to help”.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Jean Corbichon has it in 1372; in Middle French ''assister à quelqu'un'' meant both “to be present beside someone” and “to sit (in a council or assembly)” (1420).^(GLLF 1989)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ About 1500 the sense “to be present at (an event, a show)” took over: Montaigne has ''assister à un convoy'', to attend a funeral procession.^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873) The transitive use, which keeps the Latin sense of help rather than presence, is found in 1465 and 1501;^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007) ''assister quelqu'un dans le besoin'' is in 1690.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007) Chastellain (15th century) uses it of a man comforted and attended by confessors; the GLLF still records its use for a priest attending the dying.^(Littré 1873)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ The past participle [[assisté]] was applied to people receiving public relief (1866), and under English influence to power-assisted devices: ''direction assistée'', ''conception assistée par ordinateur'' (about 1975).^(DHLF 1992) In African French ''assister quelqu'un'' means to help someone materially or morally.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1372 – ''Estre assistent'', in Jean Corbichon.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1420 – “To sit in a council”.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1465 – Transitive use.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1500 – “To be present at (an event)”.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1580 – ''Assister quelqu'un de quelque chose''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1866 – ''Assisté'', receiving public relief.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1975 – ''Assisté par ordinateur''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''Assister à'': to [[m|en|attend]], be present at: ''assister à une conférence'', ''assister à un match''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)

+ # ''Assister à'': to [[m|en|witness]]: ''on assiste à une baisse des effectifs''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(transitive)'' To [[m|en|assist]], help (someone) in their work: ''se faire assister par quelqu'un''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)

+ # ''(transitive, law)'' To act for or with (a minor or an accused person).^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''(dated)'' To help, relieve: ''assister son prochain''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[assistance]]

+ * [[assistant]]

+ * [[assisté]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[station]]

+ * [[la|assistō]]

+ * [[en|assist]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}