Etymologically
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alors

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /a.lɔʁ/[1]

Forms

alors[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Old French a (“at”) + lors (“then”), an expressive strengthening of the adverb lors “then” with the preposition à.[2][3][4] Rey prefers this explanation, supported by the parallels “adonc” (“a” + “donc”) and Old French “ilors”, to a direct derivation from a Latin phrase “*ad illam horam” “at that hour”, since Latin has only “ad horam”.[2] “Lors”, first “lur” (1080) and “lores” (1119), comes from Late Latin illā hōrā (“at that hour”), the ablative of time of hōra (“hour”), with an adverbial “-s”.[2][5] Littré analysed “alors” as “à” with “ors”, “ores” “now”.[6]

Compare Italian allora, Spanish alora, Occitan alara and Catalan aleshores.[1][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Rey dates the compound to the 12th century; the Petit Robert and Bloch and Wartburg give 1250, and the Grand Larousse the middle of the 13th century.[2][4][5][7] It first had a temporal value, “at that moment”, of an action in progress.[2]

Semantic evolution

Alors was rare until the 15th century, then spread at the expense of lors, which since the 17th century has survived only in lors de, dès lors, depuis lors and lorsque.[5][2] It came to refer to the past (13th century) and to a period, “at that time, in those days” (about 1225).[2] Alors comme alors “we'll see when the time comes” is found about 1460.[2] From the sense of time came that of consequence, “in that case, so”, and its use to ask for what follows (et alors ?) or to open a conversation (alors, ça va ?).[7][4]

Timeline

  • 1080 – Lur, the ancestor of lors.[2]
  • c. 1225 – “At that time, in those days”.[2]
  • c. 1250 – Alors.[4][5]
  • c. 1460 – Alors comme alors.[2]
  • 15th century – Alors spreads at the expense of lors.[5][2]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. then, at that time: il comprit alors son erreur, d'alors, of that time, jusqu'alors, until then.[4][7]
  2. So, in that case: marks a consequence: il n'y a pas de bus, alors je viens à pied.[4][1]
  3. Alors que: while, whereas; when.[3][4]

Interjection

  1. Well, so: to open a conversation, ask for more or show impatience: alors, ça va ?, et alors ?.[4][1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b c d e Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  6. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse