festival

Forms

festival n (plural festivaluri)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from French festival, a neologism of the modern period.^{[2][3][4][1][5]} DN names the French, Italian and English words as possible models.^[6] The French word was taken in 1830 from English festival, an adjective “festive” from the 14th century and a noun “time of festivity”, especially a series of musical events, from the 16th.^[7] The English word comes from Old French festival (“festive, joyful”), derived from Latin festīvus (“festive”), from festus.^[7][8]

Earliest recorded meaning

The DA's earliest example is from A. Mirea's verse, where the word means a theatrical performance with music and recitation given in someone's honour: „Arar la festivaluri de se mai spune-o odă” “rarely is an ode still recited at festivals”.^[5][3] The DLRLC quotes the same lines under the names of Anghel and Iosif.^[9]

Semantic evolution

Early dictionaries define it as a large musical celebration: Șăineanu's in 1929 and CADE in 1931.^[10][11] Scriban, in 1939, calls it a musical or literary celebration.^[8] Later dictionaries widen it to any artistic event with a varied programme, held once or at regular intervals: music, theatre, film.^[2][4][12] The DLRLC records the World Festival of Youth, held in Bucharest in 1953.^[9] Press usage of the 2000s extends it to other periodic celebrations, such as a beer festival.^[13]

Timeline

• 1929 – Șăineanu's dictionary defines it as a large musical celebration.^[10]
• 1931 – CADE gives the same sense, with the plural festivaluri.^[11]
• 1939 – Scriban gives the plurals festivale and festivaluri.^[8]
• 1953 – the World Festival of Youth in Bucharest, recorded by the DLRLC.^[9]

Meanings

Noun

1. A festival: an artistic event (music, theatre, film) with a series of performances and a festive character, held once or at regular intervals: un festival de film.^[2][3][4][1]
2. (by extension) A periodic public celebration of another kind.^[13]
3. (dated) A large musical feast.^[10][11]

Related words

• festiv

Usage notes

The plural is festivaluri; the DA and Scriban also record festivale.^[2][5][8]

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d DEX (2009), Dicționarul explicativ al limbii române [Explanatory dictionary of the Romanian language], Bucharest: Editura Univers Enciclopedic, p. 390
3. ^ a b c Academia Română, Institutul de Lingvistică „Iorgu Iordan – Al. Rosetti” (2010), Micul dicționar academic, 2nd ed., 4 vols., București: Univers Enciclopedic Gold, p. 1, 897
4. ^ a b c Marcu, Florin (2000), Marele dicționar de neologisme, București: Saeculum Vizual, p. s.v. festival
5. ^ a b c Academia Română (1913–1949), Dicționarul limbii române (DA), ed. Sextil Pușcariu, tom I (A–B, C, D–De) and tom II (F–I, J–Lojniță), București: Socec / Universul / Monitorul Oficial și Imprimeriile Statului; page scans at cflr-scans.solirom.ro, p. s.v. festival
6. ^ Marcu, Florin; Maneca, Constant (1986), Dicționar de neologisme, 3rd ed., București: Editura Academiei Republicii Socialiste România, p. s.v. festival
7. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b c d Scriban, August (1939), Dicționaru limbii românești (etimologii, înțelesuri, exemple, citațiuni, arhaizme, neologizme, provincializme), Iași: Presa Bună, p. 503
9. ^ a b c Macrea, Dimitrie; Petrovici, Emil (coord.) (1955–1957), Dicționarul limbii romîne literare contemporane, 4 vols., București: Editura Academiei Republicii Populare Romîne, p. 2, 280
10. ^ a b c Șăineanu, Lazăr (1929), Dicționar universal al limbei române, 6th ed., Craiova: Scrisul Românesc, p. 249
11. ^ a b c Candrea, I.-A.; Adamescu, Gh. (1926–1931), Dicționarul enciclopedic ilustrat „Cartea Românească”, București: Cartea Românească, p. s.v. festival
12. ^ Academia Română, Institutul de Lingvistică „Iorgu Iordan – Al. Rosetti” (2002), Noul dicționar explicativ al limbii române, București: Litera Internațional, p. s.v. festival
13. ^ a b Dimitrescu, Florica (1997), Dicționar de cuvinte recente, 2nd ed., București: Logos (with the 3rd ed., 2013, in CLRE), p. s.v. festivál