discours French · revision 17500

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1503, Guidon en françoys|origins=la currō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /dis.kuʁ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''discours''' ''m'' (countable and uncountable, invariable)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la-lat|discursus|t=conversation, talk]], adapted after [[cours]].^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)^(Larousse)^(FEW|3, 92b) In classical Latin the noun meant “a running to and fro”, a sense also borrowed in 16th-century French; it comes from [[m|la|discurrō|t=to run about]], from [[m|la|dis-|t=apart]] and [[m|la|currō|t=to run]].^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)^(Littré 1873) The verb [[discourir]] is from the same Latin verb.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In ''Le Guidon en françoys'' (1503) it means an account or exposition, written or spoken.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 16th century it also meant the course or whole sequence of a story or plan, and the faculty of reasoning: Des Périers calls a sensible man ''homme de bon discours''.^(Littré 1873)^(GLLF 1989) In classical French it was conversation and talk in general (''mauvais discours'', gossip), and Descartes's ''Discours de la méthode'' (1637) uses it for a written treatise.^(GLLF 1989)^(TLFi) Régnier has it before 1613 for the sequence of words that makes up language, the origin of its use in linguistics.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ The usual modern sense is a formal speech given to an audience: ''discours de bienvenue''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse) With a pejorative tone, ''des discours'' are empty words opposed to action: ''assez de discours, des actes !''^(Le Robert)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1503 – “Account, exposition”, in ''Le Guidon en françoys''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1534 – Des Périers, of the power of reasoning.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 16th century – Montaigne, of a prepared speech.^(Littré 1873)

+ * Before 1613 – “The sequence of words that make up language”, in Régnier.^(TLFi)

+ * 1637 – Descartes's ''Discours de la méthode''.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1694 – The Académie records the word.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|speech]] or [[m|en|address]] given before an audience: ''prononcer un discours''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+ # ''(dated)'' What one says, talk: ''tenir des discours étranges''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)

+ # ''(pejorative)'' Empty words, as opposed to deeds: ''assez de discours !''^(Le Robert)^(Larousse)

+ # ''(dated)'' A written [[m|en|treatise]] on a subject.^(TLFi)

+ # ''(linguistics, grammar)'' [[m|en|discourse|alt=Discourse]], language in use, ''parties du discours'', parts of speech, ''discours direct, indirect''.^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[discourir]]

+ * [[discursif]]

+ * [[cours]]

+ * [[courir]]

+ * [[la|discursus]]

+ * [[en|discourse]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}