Etymologically
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ceci

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /sə.si/[1]

Forms

ceci n[1] Middle French cecy.[2]

Etymology

It is from French ce (“this, that”) + ci (“here”).[2][3][4][1] The neuter pronoun “ce” is from popular Latin Vulgar Latin *ecce hoc (“behold this”), with Old French “iço”, “ice” and “ço”, “ce”; as it became unstressed it was replaced as a stressed pronoun by “ceci” and cela, both of the 14th century according to Bloch and Wartburg.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

In Cortebarbe's fabliau Les Trois Aveugles de Compiègne (13th century) ceci refers back to what has been said, a use filled by cela in modern French.[2][4]

Semantic evolution

In 1532 Rabelais uses cecy for what follows.[2] From the 15th century ceci and cela together name vaguely two things, familiarly: On faict cecy, on faict cela (Coquillart).[2][6] The Académie in 1740 records ceci as distinct from cela, and in opposition to it for the nearer object.[2] Hugo's Ceci tuera cela means that the new will kill the old.[7]

Timeline

  • 13th century – Ceci, Cortebarbe.[2]
  • 15th century – Cecy … cela, Coquillart.[2]
  • 1532 – Of what follows, Rabelais.[2]
  • 1740 – Opposed to cela for the nearer object, Académie.[2]

Meanings

Pronoun

  1. this (thing), as opposed to cela, the nearer one: ceci est à moi, cela est à vous.[6][7]
  2. This, what follows: retenez bien ceci, ceci dit, à ceci près que.[7][4]
  3. This, the thing present or under discussion: ceci ne m'appartient pas.[4][8]
  4. Ceci, cela: one thing and another.[7][4]

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  5. ^ 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 d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  8. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)