contrôler French · revision 17678

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 1310, Anglo-Norman|origins=la-med contrārotulus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /kɔ̃.tʁo.le/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''contrôler'''^(Wiktionary)

+ Anglo-Norman [[m|xno|contre roller]] (about 1310), ''controoler'' (1446), ''contreroler'' (1541), ''controler'' (1563), with the accent in 1740.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|fr|contrôle|-er]], from the noun for a register kept in duplicate.^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(DHLF 1992) The noun is [[af|fr|contre|rôle]], replacing [[m|fro|contrerole]], from [[la-med|contrārotulus]], made of [[m|la|contrā|t=against]] and [[m|la-med|rotulus|t=roll]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary) Medieval Latin had the verb [[m|la-med|contrārotulō]] as early as 1298.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) Vaugelas says that Ronsard was the first to write ⟨controler⟩ for ⟨contre-roler⟩.^(Littré 1873)

+

+ The sense “to master, dominate” is perhaps a borrowing of [[en|control]], itself taken from French in the sense “to check”, and later senses such as “to have under one's control” show English influence.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ About 1310 Anglo-Norman ''contre roller'' meant to check accounts by entering them in a second register.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The first sense disappeared in favour of “to subject to a check” (1437), whence “to examine critically, criticize” (Calvin, 1541) and, in goldsmiths' work, to stamp with a hallmark (1740).^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) An isolated use by Pascal (before 1662) for exercising domination was taken up again in the 20th century, notably in ''se contrôler'' (1910) and ''contrôler ses nerfs'' (1915).^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)

+

+ Under English influence it came to mean “to have under one's supervision” (1895) and “to be able to start, stop or regulate (a process)”, a use common in Quebec French and spreading in European French.^(DHLF 1992) The adjectives [[incontrôlé]] (1794), [[incontrôlable]] (1819) and [[contrôlable]] (1900) followed.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1298 – Medieval Latin ''contrarotulare''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1310 – Anglo-Norman ''contre roller''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1437 – “To examine closely”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1541 – Calvin: “to criticize”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1740 – The Académie: to hallmark gold and silver.^(TLFi)

+ * 1895 – “To have under one's supervision”.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1910 – ''Se contrôler''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|check]], [[m|en|inspect]], verify: ''contrôler les comptes'', ''contrôler des billets''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To hallmark (gold or silver articles).^(Petit Robert 2007)^(TLFi)

+ # To [[m|en|control]], master: ''contrôler ses réactions'', ''se contrôler'', to keep one's self-control.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To have under one's power or influence: ''contrôler une société''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''(sports)'' To control (the ball).^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[contrôle]]

+ * [[contrôleur]]

+ * [[rôle]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}