on

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ɔ̃/^[1]
• IPA: /ɔ̃.n‿/^[1]

Forms

on m or f m pl or f pl^[1] Old French om (842), hom, hum (1050), then on (12th–13th century).^[2][3][4] L'on (le hom, 1050) keeps the old article.^[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French om, inherited from Latin homō (“human being”), the nominative, which developed in unstressed position; the accusative hominem gave homme.^[2][3][5][6] In Late Latin “homo” is found in a few examples as an indefinite subject, the use that led to the pronoun.^[2]

Since the other Romance languages, including Italian and Spanish, also used “homo” as an indefinite pronoun, Rey thinks a Frankish model unlikely, though German man beside “Mann” shows the same development; the Franks may, however, have made the pronoun more general and frequent in French than elsewhere.^[2] Wiktionary instead takes the pronominal use to be of Germanic origin, comparing Old English man (“one, they”) and Dutch men.^[1] Cognate with Catalan hom and Old Spanish omne.^[1][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Strasbourg Oaths (842) have om in si cum om per dreit son fradra salvar dift “as one should rightly help one's brother”, where it can still be read as a noun.^[7]

Semantic evolution

The use of on was settled before the 13th century.^[2] The form with the article, l'on (1050), a trace of the old noun, survives in literary use for the sake of sound.^[2] Vaugelas (1647) accepted both on dit and l'on dit but preferred on dit at the start of a sentence.^[2][7] Vaugelas also prescribed the t in prie-t-on, alla-t-on.^[7] Being masculine in origin, on takes a masculine past participle (1179), though an attribute may agree with the sense.^[2][7]

On for nous “we” is recorded from 1666 in Molière and is now usual in familiar speech.^[4][1] Occitan dialects use their on only when the speaker is among the people meant, otherwise the third person plural.^[2]

Timeline

• 842 – Om in the Strasbourg Oaths.^[7]
• c. 1050 – Hom and l'um in the Vie de saint Alexis.^[7][2]
• c. 1155 – The form on in Wace.^[4]
• 1647 – Vaugelas discusses on dit beside l'on dit.^[7]
• 1666 – On for “we” in Molière.^[4]

Meanings

Pronoun

1. One, people, they: an indefinite subject: on ne saurait penser à tout.^[8][1]
2. Someone: on frappe à la porte.^[1][4]
3. (familiar) We: on y va.^[1][4]
4. (familiar) Used for tu, vous or je, with irony or affection: alors, on est content ?.^[4][8]

Related words

• homme
• Latin homō

Usage notes

On is always a subject.^[8] L'on is used in writing after et, si, où and que to avoid a hiatus or an awkward sound.^[8][2]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ 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
3. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ 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
5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 4, 457a
6. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b c d e f g 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
8. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert