parlance

English

WOTD – 29 September 2008    

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman parlance, parlaunce, from parler (“to talk”) + -ance.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈpɑː.ləns/
• (US) IPA: /ˈpɑɹ.ləns/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

parlance (plural parlances)

1. A certain way of speaking, of using words, especially when it comes to those with a particular job or interest.
   • 1836, James Fenimore Cooper, "Eclipse":

     To my childish fancy, it had seemed an imaginary flag-staff, or, in rustic parlance, the "liberty pole" of some former generation […]

   • 1845, Charles Miner, History of Wyoming, Letter IX:

     We approach the contest, still known in the common parlance of the country, as "the first Pennimite War."

   • 1909, William Elliot Griffis, The Story of New Netherland, Chapter 22:

     The tourist's impression of the country to-day is that of a transported Holland, in which the official language is Dutch and the parlance of the people is "taki-taki."

2. (archaic, rare) Speech, discussion or debate.
   • 1849, Lady Charlotte Guest, The Mabinogion, "Peredur the Son of Evrawc":

     And without further parlance they fought, […]

Synonyms

• jargon

Translations

A certain way of speaking (or using words)

• Estonian: kõneviis (et)
• Finnish: puhetapa (fi), -kieli (fi), -slangi (fi)
• German: Ausdrucksweise (de) f, Jargon (de) m
• Icelandic: talsmáti (is) m, málvenja (is) f, málfar (is) n, mál (is) n
• Italian: parlata (it)

• Russian: манера говорить f
• Simplified Chinese: 措辞
• Slovene: žargon (sl) m
• Spanish: jerga (es) f, sociolecto (es) m
• Turkish: deyim (tr), deyiş (tr), tâbir (tr)

Anagrams

• carplane

---

Old French

Alternative forms

• parlaunce (chiefly late Anglo-Norman)

Etymology

parler +‎ -ance, or from an unattested Latin word.

Noun

parlance f (oblique plural parlances, nominative singular parlance, nominative plural parlances)

1. discussion; debate

Descendants

• English: parlance

References

• parlance on the Anglo-Norman On-Line Hub