puisque

Pronunciation

• IPA: /pɥisk/^[1]

Forms

puisque (conjunction)^[1] Written puis que in Old French, puisque is found in 1188, but the separate spelling lasts into the 17th century.^[2][3] It is elided only before il, elle, en, on, un, une.^[4]

Etymology

It is from French puis + que, from the use of “puis” as a preposition in Old French.^{[3][5][6][7][1]} The sense shifted from time (“after”) to cause, as Paul Imbs showed.^[3] “Puis” itself is from popular Latin Vulgar Latin *postius, a remaking of post (“after”) and posteā on the model of melius.^[7]

Compare Italian poiché.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

At the end of the 10th century the Passion of Clermont has post que “after”, and the Chanson de Roland (about 1100) has puis que both in this sense and with causal value: Puis quel comant, aler vus en estoet “since he commands it, you must go”.^[3]

Semantic evolution

In Old French puis que also meant “ever since” (about 1130), until depuis que, its emphatic form, replaced it in the 14th century; the meaning “after” gradually weakened to “when”.^[3] Chrétien de Troyes (1176–81) uses it for “provided that”.^[3] The causal sense prevailed: puis could be separated from que (et puys que avez parlé, Noël du Fail 1548), notably by donc in the classical language, and the verb could be left out (1557).^[3] Puisque also justifies a statement or a word just used.^[2][8] In the 16th century Palsgrave says it was pronounced puique.^[9]

Timeline

• late 10th century – Post que “after”, Passion.^[3]
• c. 1100 – Causal puis que, Chanson de Roland.^[3]
• c. 1130 – “Ever since”.^[3]
• 1176–81 – “Provided that”, Chrétien de Troyes.^[3]
• 1188 – Written as one word.^[2]
• 14th century – Depuis que replaces it in the sense “since”.^[3]
• 1548 – Puis … que separated, Noël du Fail.^[3]

Meanings

Conjunction

1. since, as, seeing that (giving a cause presented as known or obvious): puisque personne ne t'attend, reste avec nous.^[4][2]
2. Introducing the justification of a statement or of a word just used: le ministre, puisqu'il faut l'appeler ainsi.^[6][2]
3. In exclamations, with an implied conclusion: puisque je te le dis !^[4][8]

Related words

• puis
• depuis
• que
• parce que

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m 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
4. ^ a b c Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
8. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
9. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette