50 years after his death, it is the year of the general. The opportunity to lean on his family name… and go from surprise to surprise.
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How many times has there been the point ? Call de Gaulle and became the head of the free France, and founder of the Fifth Republic, this looks like a sign of destiny. So well that most French people are convinced that : the general wore a name predestined – a aptonyme, as the experts say. This is quite true, but… not for the reason that we believe.
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the First wink of the History and the etymology : according to the most likely hypothesis, Gaulle would be an original name… in the German wal(l)e, which does not lack of salt for those who opposed the collaboration with the Nazis. Fortunately, the meaning of this word is more in keeping with the personality of the heroes of the Resistance : it means, in effect, “military fortification”. For this reason, walle is a last name in flemish is quite common, found for example in the form of van der Walle, denoting the inhabitant of a house located near a wall (this is also the wall English).
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Still need to understand how we went from Walle to Gaulle. On this point, two phenomena have combined their effects, the first of which dates back to the end of Antiquity.
in The Fifth century, when the fall of the roman Empire, the Franks settled in northern Gaul. If they are not numerous enough to impose their language, they change it, however strongly the low latin spoken in those territories. They introduce, in particular, many words beginning with [w]. However, the Gallo-Romans did not know this sound and have a lot of trouble to pronounce it. As a result, they distort it, by saying, first of [gw]. The walle imported by the Franks, therefore, becomes at this time there something like [gwalle] before the [w] will end up disappearing completely. Result : in a few decades, one thus passes from [walle] to [gwalle] and [galle]. The case is not isolated : in the same way appeared in French words like war (de werra, “unrest, disorder, quarrel”) ; boy (of wrakjo, “vagabond”) or cure (of warjan, “defend, protect”), but also the first name William (of Whilhelm, born of will, “will”, and helm , “helmet, helmet”).
Well, this is all very well, you might say, but we arrived in Galle, not to Gaulle. So I have yet to explain the transition from -alle to -aulle. In fact, this change of spelling is due to a change in the pronunciation that can be summarized as follows : when the consonant [l] is followed by another consonant (other [l], in the present case), it ends up in the Xith century by to say “or”. Gall is pronounced a bit like “gal-or”. Over time, this sound will evolve in [gâo-], in the Fifteenth century, and finally in the [go-], from the Sixteenth century.
And here’s, schematically, how walle became galle, and then Gaulle. As have been said the general : You heard me ?
Sources :
· historical Dictionary of the French language, under the direction of Alain Rey, Le Robert
· Stéphane Brabant, in revue Défense de la Langue Française, third quarter of 2019.
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dictation writing inclusive, it tempts you ?
If you are in favor of this approach, or if you’re simply curious, be aware that The next dictation writing inclusive be held on the 20th may next, to 18 hours. This year, the dictation will be set forth by Aurélie Saada, the singer of the duo Brigitte and directed, coronavirus requires, 100 % online.
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Atau coum the tourtoure, by Marilis Orionaa
It was a heart-rending voice, a sensitivity, a soul of an artist. She writes texts, poetry, subtle, experiencing the rare words, invented melodies, delicate. It is very simple : it is sometimes compared to Barbara and is buried in awards (including the grand prize of the Académie Charles-Cros) and rave reviews, the World of music to people’s magazine, via Release. Marilis Orionaa sings gascon and, if you do not know, this is the occasion to discover (below : the text in gascon, the French translation is on the video).
ATAU COM-TORTORA
That m deves trobar barlòca E desestruga e pathòca
That bretegi quan te vei
That rogeishi per arrei
My only ?i paur quan me tarridas
Pr amor that crei that t menshidas
quauqu’arrei e arrides
You think ba mei sovent retrèit
E so that there ?i despieit
What armugalhi las brigalhas
the shètra amor that m balhas
Au hregada, a espiar
A word is said of clar in clar
that m cau acontentar
E atau com-tortora
Who’s fed up deu its repic
Capvath lo bòsc that vau córrer
Repepiant lo men tesic
E ?i leser of arredíser
One that you aimi I esbrisan
Puishque you aimi shens you at díser
E quan baisha finally the nueit
Quan me arrossegui tau lheit
Quitament devath the apriga
Ne m poish not aishualar briga
E turning com a borromb
That marmusi dnci to the som
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On the tip of the languages,
“the language of The Republic is French” The picard, prestigious language, and unknown Of “too much” to “very”, and back…
Las sillabas deu thy name
