donc

Pronunciation

• IPA: /dɔ̃k/^[1]
• IPA: /dɔ̃/^[1]

Forms

donc^[1] Old French dunc (980), then donc and donques, used until the 17th century.^[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French dunc, inherited from Latin dunc (“then; therefore”), recorded in imperial Latin, whose formation is disputed.^{[5][2][6][3][7]} The TLFi, the Grand Robert, the Petit Robert and Wiktionary see it as a blend of dum (“while, (with an imperative) come on”) with tunc (“then”), Bloch and Wartburg and the GLLF start from “dumque”, an extension of “dum”, a particle that in Late Latin was joined to imperatives (“agedum” “come on”) and came to mean “therefore”.^{[5][3][8][1][6][4]} A derivation from “donique”, an extension of “dōnec” “until”, is thought less likely.^[2][5] The Old French ending “-que(s)” is due to Latin “unquam”.^[5][6]

Littré reports Diez's derivation from Latin “ad tunc” “then” and himself suggests “de unquam”.^[9] Cognate with Italian dunque, Occitan donc and Catalan doncs.^[1][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in the Jonas fragment of Valenciennes (980) as dunc, in the temporal sense “then”, the sense it also has in the Vie de saint Alexis (about 1050).^[5][2]

Semantic evolution

The temporal sense “then” has disappeared.^[2] From about 1175 donc expressed a consequence or a conclusion, and at the same time (1172–1175) it was used, like Latin dum, to strengthen an imperative, an adverb or an exclamation (ce sachiez dons).^[5][2] The strengthened Old French form adonc “then” (about 1170) went out of use in the 17th century except in burlesque or archaizing style, but lives on in dialects.^[2][6]

Timeline

• 980 – Dunc “then” in the Jonas fragment of Valenciennes.^[5]
• c. 1050 – “Then” in the Vie de saint Alexis.^[5]
• c. 1170 – Adonc.^[2]
• 1172–1175 – With an imperative, in Chrétien de Troyes's Chevalier de la Charrette.^[5]
• c. 1175 – Expressing a conclusion, in Chrétien de Troyes's Yvain.^[5]
• 17th century – Donques and adonc fall out of use.^[2][3]

Meanings

Conjunction

1. Therefore, so, consequently: Je pense, donc je suis.^[8][4]
2. So, as I was saying, resuming after a digression: Je disais donc que…^[8][4]

Adverb

1. Strengthening an imperative or exclamation: Viens donc !, Dis donc !, Allons donc !^[2][5]
2. Expressing surprise or disbelief: Qu'as-tu donc ?^[8]

Related words

• adonc
• Latin tunc

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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k 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
6. ^ a b c d e Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 3, 179b
8. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette