Chapeau

[Dr. Goodword]

• chapeau •

Pronunciation: shæ-po • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun

Meaning: A hat.

Notes: Since the spelling and pronunciation of this word remain French even today, it has not picked up any English derivations. We have our choice of plurals. If you like French words, please use the French plural chapeaux. If you think French a bit pretentious, use the English chapeaus. Both may be pronounced the same.

In Play: Today's Good Word is a pretentious substitute for hat in serious situations but a playful one if the mood is light-hearted: "Whatever you do, do not utter a critical word about Maude's Parisian 'chapeau'; she is very sensitive about it." Chapeaus are not ordinary hats; they are rather special: "Well, you wouldn't want to call the sumptuous creation on Maude's head a hat; it was more of a chapeau!"

Word History: Today's Good Word is the French word for "hat". This word was capel and then chapel in Old French. It came from Late Latin cappellum "hood, hat", the diminutive of cappa "hooded cloak". This word was borrowed and went on to become both cap and cape in English. In its usual borrowing frenzy, English borrowed it yet again after French re-formed it into chapeau. (The US government can't hold a candle to the English language when it comes to borrowing.) Still wondering about chapel? Yes, the sense of "cape" was stretched to "canopy" somewhere between Late Latin and Old French. From there its meaning meandered on to "modest place of worship" and thence to "chapel". This may set the record for number of modern English words derived from one Latin word. (Our thanks and a tip of Dr. Goodword's old chapeau go to Janie Ramey today for suggesting such a fetching Good Word as this.)

[Dr. Goodword]

This is the word that should have gone out today. I'm in my fifth week of recovery from my double by-pass—which should bring me within a week of complete recovery. We should be back on track tomorrow.

[call_copse]

Best wishes from Southampton for a full recovery.

Chapeau is used as a single word exclamation in cycling circles specifically for some reason. Should you note a special or difficult achievement - completing the Cent Col for instance - you might say 'Chapeau!'. Roughly meaning 'Hats off to you sir!'

[George Kovac]

Wishing you a speedy recovery and good health. We can all use a Goodword going forward--and in that regard, may I suggest "sanguine"?

As to "chapeau" ... Twenty five years ago I lived and worked in Kiev for a short period of time. My office staff helped me purchase one of those distinctive fur hats from a local specialty store. I bought an excellent one of "норка" ("norka" = mink), and my ironic secretary insisted that that fine hat made me look like a distinguished member of the Politburo staring icily from the balcony of Lenin's Tomb. The Russian word she used for "hat" was шапка ("shapka"), and I note that the Ukrainian word for "hat" is "капелюх" ("kapelyukh"). After I returned to Chicago (where I was then living), I proudly wore that шапка through some bitter winters.

I only picked up a few words of Russian and Ukrainian during my stay, so I know nothing of etymologies, and cognates with western languages are rare (or at least more attenuated). But, to my untutored ear, the words "капелюх" and "шапка" sound like they could be related to "chapeau".

[Dr. Goodword]

As for sanguine, see http://www.alphadictionary.com/goodword/word/sanguine.

The origin of Russian шляпа is something of a mystery. Only Preobrazhenski offers a suggestion. He thinks it might be a borrowing from German schlapphut "limp hat". I don't think we could make from chapeau to шляпа.

[Perry Lassiter]

Slava, you want to weigh in on this Russian?

[Philip Hudson]

Chaperone immediately comes to mind.

[George Kovac]

Until Iain's post, I had never encountered the use of "chapeau" as an exclamation meaning "hats off to you sir!" Then today, I found that usage in print:

“All that said, this year I have to admit that the [Swedish Academy] judges have done something remarkable. And you have to say, chapeau! For they have thrown the cat among the pigeons in a most delightful manner. First they have given the prize to someone who wasn’t courting it in any way, and that in itself is cheering.”

Tim Parks, October 19, 2016, New York Review of Books/NYR Daily, “Bob Dylan: The Music Travels, the Poetry Stays Home”

[call_copse]

Well, I guess we tend to spot these things when we are aware of them George! Good taste in being a Dylan fan too, I get the early stuff better but should probably try and make the effort to get the later work too.

On contemplation, I would change my explanation of the meaning to more like 'I doff my cap to you, sir / madam' This fits with the gesture commonly employed to convey such sentiment.

[Slava]

Slava, you want to weigh in on this Russian?

I can't say anything about the etymologies, but I can point out that there are two words being discussed above; шляпа (shlyapa) and шапка (shapka). I am not sure if they are even related. Doc would know better than I.