truc

Forms

truc n (plural trucuri)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from French truc, as DEX, MDA2, the DLR and Wiktionary give it.^[2][3][4][1] The older neologism dictionary also names Italian trucco and compares Occitan truc (“blow”).^[5] The French word was borrowed in the 13th century from Old Occitan truc, derived from the verb trucar (“to knock, strike against”), from Vulgar Latin *trudicare, formed on Latin trūdō (“to push, thrust”).^[6] Scriban gave the same chain through a Gascon form truc.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

MDA2's first record is Theochar Alexi's Romanian–German dictionary of 1906, and the DLR also starts with it.^[3][4]

Semantic evolution

The word has kept the meaning it had in French, a clever manoeuvre that hides the reality, a stratagem or ruse.^[2][4] The DLR quotes Camil Petrescu, who lists un truc among words for a formality meant to delay a decision, and G. Călinescu, whose Aglae borrowed money again prin trucul ei “by her trick”.^[4][8] The newer dictionaries add a technical sense, a stage or conjuring device that creates an illusion.^[9][10]

Timeline

• 1906 – in Theochar Alexi's dictionary, the first record.^[3]
• 1939 – in Scriban's dictionary, “a ruse for succeeding in some business”.^[7]
• 1955–1957 – quoted from Camil Petrescu and G. Călinescu in the DLRLC.^[8]

Meanings

Noun

1. A trick: a skilful manoeuvre by which someone tries to hide the reality; a ruse, șiretlic, stratagemă.^[2][3]
2. A device used in the theatre or by a conjurer to create an illusion.^[9][10]

Related words

• trucaj

Usage notes

DEX has a second truc (truc²), a railway term: the frame hung on one or two axles on which the body of a tram car is mounted, a bogie, borrowed from French truc, truck and German Truck;^[2][3][4] MDA2 dates it from the technical lexicon of 1949 and records it regionally for a forest-railway wagon that carries logs.^[2][3][4]

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e DEX (2009), Dicționarul explicativ al limbii române [Explanatory dictionary of the Romanian language], Bucharest: Editura Univers Enciclopedic, p. 1151
3. ^ a b c d e f Academia Română, Institutul de Lingvistică „Iorgu Iordan – Al. Rosetti” (2010), Micul dicționar academic, 2nd ed., 4 vols., București: Univers Enciclopedic Gold, p. 2, 1290
4. ^ a b c d e f Academia Română (1965–2010), Dicționarul limbii române (DLR), serie nouă, tom I–XIX, București: Editura Academiei Române, p. s.v. truc
5. ^ Marcu, Florin; Maneca, Constant (1986), Dicționar de neologisme, 3rd ed., București: Editura Academiei Republicii Socialiste România, p. s.v. truc
6. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b Scriban, August (1939), Dicționaru limbii românești (etimologii, înțelesuri, exemple, citațiuni, arhaizme, neologizme, provincializme), Iași: Presa Bună, p. 1351
8. ^ a b Macrea, Dimitrie; Petrovici, Emil (coord.) (1955–1957), Dicționarul limbii romîne literare contemporane, 4 vols., București: Editura Academiei Republicii Populare Romîne, p. 4, 509
9. ^ a b Marcu, Florin (2000), Marele dicționar de neologisme, București: Saeculum Vizual, p. s.v. truc
10. ^ a b Academia Română, Institutul de Lingvistică „Iorgu Iordan – Al. Rosetti” (2002), Noul dicționar explicativ al limbii române, București: Litera Internațional, p. s.v. truc