Etymologically
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ainsi

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ɛ̃.si/[1]

Forms

ainsi[1] Old French ensi (mid-11th century), einsi (1080), issi, ainsi from the 13th–14th century.[2][3][4][5]

Etymology

It continues Old French ensi, einsi, of complex origin.[6][4] The second element is “si”, from Latin sīc (“thus”); the first is uncertain.[6][3][7][8] Bloch and Wartburg, followed by the GLLF, explain “einsi” as a crossing of eastern “ensi” (from “en” and “si”) with western and Norman “eissi”, borrowed from Old Occitan aissi, from a popular Latin “*accum sīc”, with “accum” a variant of ecce (“behold”).[4][5][6]

Wiktionary suggests Latin “ad” + “in” + “sīc”, Pierre Guiraud saw the influence of Old French ains “but, rather”, giving the sense “in this way rather than another”.[1][6][3] Diez proposed Latin “aequē sīc”, which Littré rejected in favour of “in sīc”.[9] Compare Italian così, Spanish así, Catalan així and Portuguese assim.[1][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the mid-11th century the Vie de saint Alexis has Iluec converset ensi dis e set anz “he lived there thus for seventeen years”, in the sense “in this way”.[2][6]

Semantic evolution

From the first texts it was an adverb of manner, “in this way”.[6] From 1539 it introduced a wish with the subjunctive: ainsi soit-il, the formula ending prayers, which renders amen.[2][6][5] The conjunction ainsi que meant “just as” (about 1200) and “at the moment when” (1330); the temporal sense died out in the 17th century.[6]

It also marks a conclusion (ainsi donc) and, in literary style, introduces the second term of a comparison (comme… ainsi).[5][10] Phrases include pour ainsi dire, et ainsi de suite and s'il en est ainsi.[5][7]

Timeline

  • Mid-11th century – Ensi in the Vie de saint Alexis.[2]
  • c. 1100 – Issi and einsi in the Chanson de Roland.[9][5]
  • 1155 – Ainsins in Wace.[2]
  • c. 1200 – Ainsi que “just as”.[6]
  • 14th century – The form ainsi prevails.[4][5]
  • 1539 – Ainsi soit-il.[6]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. thus, in this way, so: c'est ainsi, il en est ainsi.[7][1]
  2. So, therefore: ainsi donc, tu as changé d'avis ?[10][5]
  3. (literary) Likewise: comme…, ainsi…[10]
  4. Ainsi que: as, as well as: ainsi que je l'ai dit.[5][7]
  5. Ainsi soit-il: amen, pour ainsi dire: so to speak, et ainsi de suite: and so on.[5][7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  3. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  7. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  8. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 11, 574b
  9. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  10. ^ a b c Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)