Etymologically
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ici

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Pronunciation

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]
  • 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