un

Pronunciation

• IPA: /œ̃/^[1]
• IPA: /ɛ̃/^[1]
• IPA: /œ̃.n‿/^[1]
• IPA: /ɛ̃.n‿/^[1]

Forms

un m (feminine une, plural des, negative de)^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French un, inherited from Latin ūnus (“one”).^[2][3][1] The Latin numeral early took on the value of an indefinite article, already in Plautus and Cicero.^[4] In the sense “alone” “ūnus” was replaced by sōlus (whence seul) or strengthened by it.^[3][5] It continues Old Latin oinos, from Proto-Italic *oinos, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁óynos;^[1] Rey connects it, like Ancient Greek οἴνη (oínē, “the ace on a die”), with an Indo-European root meaning “single, unique”, well represented in Germanic: German ein, English one.^[3][5]

Cognate with Romanian unu, Italian uno, Occitan un, Spanish un and Portuguese um.^[5][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The numeral is found in the Passion de Clermont (about 980) for oneness: En huna fet, huna vertet “in one faith, one truth”.^[7][8] Rey dates the first use as an indefinite article to the earliest texts.^[3]

Semantic evolution

The indefinite article was rare in Old French: it was used only for someone or something not yet mentioned, and was left out whenever the reference was vague.^[3] It became the usual indefinite article only from the 17th century.^[3] Old French also had a plural uns, unes (1080), used collectively (uns cops “a volley of blows”) or for things that come in pairs (uns gans “a pair of gloves”), until the 15th century.^[3][4]

As a pronoun l'un is found in the Chanson de Roland, with autre in li uns… li altre.^[3][4] Un “someone” survives in familiar comme un qui… and in pas un “not one” (1559).^[3][7] C'est tout un “it's all the same” is found in Rabelais (1532).^[7]

Timeline

• c. 980 – The numeral un in the Passion de Clermont.^[7][8]
• c. 1100 – Un sul mot “a single word” in the Chanson de Roland.^[7]
• 1080 – The plural uns, unes and pronominal l'un.^[3]
• 1532 – Ce m'est tout ung in Rabelais.^[7]
• 1559 – Pas un “none” in Amyot.^[7]
• 17th century – Un becomes the regular indefinite article.^[3]

Meanings

Article

1. a, an: the indefinite article; feminine une, plural des.^[1][8]

Numeral

1. one: the first number, the unit: un franc, vingt et un.^[8][1]
2. One only, single: en un jour.^[8]

Pronoun

1. One (of several): l'un d'eux, l'un… l'autre “the one … the other”.^[1][3]
2. Pas un: not one, none.^[7][3]

Noun

1. The number one, the figure 1.^[7]

Word family

• unième

Related words

• seul
• unique
• unir
• union
• Latin ūnus

References

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