dès

Pronunciation

• IPA: /dɛ/^[1]
• IPA: /dɛz‿/^[1]

Forms

dès^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Late Latin dē ex, an intensive juxtaposition of the prepositions dē (“from”) and ex (“out of”), both marking a starting point.^{[2][3][4][5][6]} The attested Late Latin “de ex” rules out the older explanation from “de ipso”, which also accounts less well for the Romance forms.^[3][4]

Cognate with Old Occitan des and Spanish desde.^[4][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found at the end of the 10th century in the Passion of Clermont, marking a starting point in time (des lo meidi “from midday”), and with des que “since”.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

It was used of a place from the Chanson de Roland (about 1100).^[2] Older and classical French used it where modern French prefers depuis.^[3] Dès que first meant “since” and, from about 1160, “because”, but only its sense “as soon as” (early 12th century) remains alive, dès lors que dates from the middle of the 12th century.^[2][3] Dès là (1309), dès là que (1677) and dès longtemps (1669) have gone out of use.^[2][3]

Timeline

• Late 10th century – Des lo meidi and des que in the Passion of Clermont.^[2]
• c. 1100 – Of a place, in the Chanson de Roland.^[2]
• Early 12th century – Dès que “as soon as”.^[2]
• Mid-12th century – Dès lors que.^[2]
• 1309 – Dès là, in Joinville.^[2]

Meanings

Preposition

1. From, as early as, starting from: dès l'aube, dès maintenant.^[7][1]
2. From (a place, a rank): dès le seuil.^[8]
3. Dès que: as soon as, dès lors: from then on, consequently, dès lors que: since.^[7][3]

Related words

• de
• depuis

References

1. ^ a b c d 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. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 3, 27b
7. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse