là

Pronunciation

• IPA: /la/^[1]
• IPA (Quebec): /la/^[1]
• IPA (Quebec): /lɑ/^[1]
• IPA (Quebec): /lɔ/^[1]

Forms

là^[1] Old French lai (2nd half of the 10th century), la; the grave accent distinguishes it from the article la.^[2][3][1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French la, inherited from Latin illāc (“that way, there”), from ille (“that”), whose final “c” had already dropped in speech from the time of Plautus.^[4][5][3][6] The expected diphthong of the “a” was probably prevented by the frequent use of “illa(c)” before another adverb.^[4] It supplanted Old French ila (about 1120).^[4]

Cognate with Old Occitan lai, Italian là and Portuguese lá; Spanish allá is from “ad illāc”.^[7][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Vie de saint Léger (second half of the 10th century) has lai for the place where one is not, opposed to ci: Pos ci non posc, lai vol ester “since I cannot (be) here, I want to be there”.^[2][4]

Semantic evolution

Là first named the place one goes to, opposed to ici, but this opposition has been lost in ordinary modern use, where là also means the place where one is (je suis là).^[4] The same happened with its sense of time, “then, at that moment” (1135).^[4] Since 1511 it has also had the figurative sense “to that point” (en être là).^[4][2] Early on it introduced relative clauses with où, que, qui (1080); classical French said c'est là où where modern French says c'est là que.^[4]

It forms compounds such as là-bas (15th century) and là-haut (1573), and at the end of a sentence it is used for emphasis in familiar and Quebec speech.^[6][1]

Timeline

• 2nd half of 10th century – Lai in the Vie de saint Léger.^[2]
• 1080 – Là in the Chanson de Roland.^[6][3]
• 1135 – Of time, “then”.^[4]
• 1511 – Figurative “to that point”.^[4]
• 15th century – Là-bas.^[6]
• 1573 – Là-haut.^[6]

Meanings

Adverb

1. there: in a place other than where one is: allez là.^[8][1]
2. Here; present (with être): il n'est pas là.^[1][8]
3. Then, at that moment: là, il s'arrêta.^[8][4]
4. In that, there: tout est là, en être là, to have reached that point.^[8][4]
5. After a noun with ce: ce jour-là.^[8]
6. (colloquial) For emphasis: là, je ne comprends plus.^[1]

Interjection

1. Là, là: there, there (to calm someone); oh là là !.^[8]

Word family

• là-bas
• là-haut
• voilà
• delà

Related words

• y
• ici
• il
• Latin illāc

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 4, 546a
6. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert