sans

Pronunciation

• IPA: /sɑ̃/^[1]
• IPA: /sɑ̃.z‿/^[1]

Forms

sans^[1] Old French sen, sens (about 980), senz (about 1050), seinz (1080), sainz (about 1155), sans (about 1167–1200).^[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French sens, inherited from Latin sine (“without”), with an adverbial “-s”.^[2][4][5][6] Compare Old French senoec “without that”, from “sine hoc”.^[6][7] Bloch and Wartburg add that there was crossing with the Latin ablative absentia (“absence”), used adverbially, perhaps in legal phrases, for “in the absence of”, which explains Old Occitan sensa and Italian senza; the “z” of “senz” would be due to Old French “enz” “inside”.^[7][1] Littré doubted that “senza” could be separated from the other Romance forms.^[8]

“Sine” is related to forms in Tocharian and Irish (“sain” “different”), which point to an original “*s-ni”, and to Sanskrit सनुतर् (sanutár, “separately, away”); without the initial “s”, compare Ancient Greek ἄνευ (áneu, “without”) and Gothic 𐌹𐌽𐌿 (inu, “without”).^[2] Cognate with Spanish sin, Portuguese sem and Catalan sens.^[1][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The preposition is first found about 980, in the Passion de Clermont (sens) and the Vie de saint Léger, before a noun or pronoun, marking absence or lack.^[6][3][2]

Semantic evolution

In its first uses sans marked the absence or lack of someone or something, and exclusion (1080), whence sans plus (about 1250).^[2] With an infinitive it is found about 1170, in Marie de France.^[6] Senz ceo que (about 1150) was later reduced to sans que (1562, with the subjunctive from 1377).^[6][8] Non sans dates from 1549, sans cela from 1538 and sans quoi from 1694.^[6] The preposition forms many phrases with a negative value (sans égal, sans exception) and compounds such as sans-gêne and sans-abri.^[2][7] Être sans un “to be broke” is recorded by Colette in 1910, and sans used as an adverb is popular from 1821.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 980 – Sens in the Passion de Clermont.^[3][5]
• c. 1050 – Senz.^[2]
• c. 1170 – With an infinitive, in Marie de France.^[6]
• c. 1200 – The form sans.^[2]
• 1562 – Sans que.^[6]
• 1910 – Être sans un in Colette.^[6]

Meanings

Preposition

1. without: marks the absence or lack of something: un café sans sucre, sans argent.^[9][1]
2. Without: with an infinitive: partir sans rien dire.^[1][3]
3. But for, if not for: sans toi, j'étais mort, sans cela, sans quoi: otherwise.^[9]
4. Non sans: not without, with some: non sans peine.^[3]
5. Sans que + subjunctive: without: il est parti sans que je le voie.^[6]

Related words

• Latin sine

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
4. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 11, 642a
5. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l 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
7. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
8. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert