ici

Pronunciation

• IPA: /i.si/^[1]

Forms

ici^[1] Written icy by the Académie in 1694 and 1718.^[2] The regional pronunciation [isit] is sometimes written icite, icitte, notably in Quebec.^[3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French ici, a form of ci (“here”), from popular inherited from Vulgar Latin *ecce hīc, a strengthened form of hīc (“here”) with ecce (“behold”).^[4][5][6][7] The initial “i-” probably comes from Old French iluec (“there”), from Latin illōc (“there”).^[3][1] Bloch and Wartburg allow another explanation, a further compound with “i” from “hīc”.^[3][5][1] The same “i-” passed to the demonstratives (“icil”), which later lost it, while “ici” kept it because “ci” had become too weak as an unstressed adverb.^[5] Other dialects strengthened “ci” differently: Champenois “toutci”, Walloon “droitci”.^[3][5]

Littré notes that 8th-century texts already used “ecce” alone for “here”.^[8] Cognate with Old Occitan aici.^[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

Ici is first found about 1050, in the Vie de saint Alexis, as an adverb of place, “in the place where the speaker is”.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

D'ici qu'en “from here to” is found in 1080, and ici as an adverb of time with de (d'ici à demain) about 1130.^[3] By extension it named a precise spot (late 12th century), and d'ici meant “from this country” about 1265.^[3] Combinations such as ici dedans, ici autour, still classical, have gone out of use, but ici-bas “here below, on earth” (1678) remains.^[3][9] On the telephone and radio, ici introduces the speaker (ici Paris) in the 20th century.^[9][6]

Timeline

• c. 1050 – Ici in the Vie de saint Alexis.^[2]
• 1080 – D'ici qu'en “from here to”.^[3]
• c. 1130 – Of time, with de.^[3]
• 1678 – Ici-bas in La Fontaine.^[9]
• 20th century – Ici on the telephone and radio.^[9]

Meanings

Adverb

1. here: in this place, where the speaker is: viens ici.^[6][1]
2. Here, at this point (of a text or discussion).^[9]
3. D'ici + time: from now until: d'ici demain.^[3]
4. Ici-bas: here below, on earth.^[9]
5. On the telephone or radio, introduces the speaker: ici Paris.^[6][9]

Related words

• ci
• là
• y
• çà
• Latin hīc

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c 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 i j k Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
6. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 4, 423b
8. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ a b c d e f g Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse