answersLogoWhite

0

I believe it comes from the French verb "essayer" or to try. It refers to how in an essay you try to prove or disprove something. ___ From what I remember from my undergraduate days, essaiin French had always meant a literary attempt - that is, an attempt at saying something general from a personal point of view. Montaigne's essays (written in the 1570s and first published in 1580), for example, were mainly philosophical discussions, enlivened by anecdotes and personal observations and comments. Some teachers draw a distinction between a paper or report, which should be objective, and an essay, which may have a personal or subjective element.

User Avatar

Wiki User

16y ago

What else can I help you with?