Etymologically
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si

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈsiː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈsiː][1]

Forms

sī [1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *sei (“so, thus”), the locative of an old demonstrative *so- (“this, that”), the stem also seen in sīc.[2][1] It was first used in loosely joined clauses (“in this case …”); the phrase meaning “if it please the gods” may keep a trace of that use.[2][1] The older spelling is ⟨sei⟩, found in early inscriptions and in some passages of Plautus.[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It opens the first law of the Twelve Tables: sī in iūs vocat “if he summons him to court”.[3][4]

Semantic evolution

Sī introduces open conditions with the indicative (“if”), remote conditions with the present or perfect subjunctive (“if … should”), and unfulfilled ones with the imperfect or pluperfect subjunctive (“if … were, had been”).[2][3] It also forms polite appeals and oaths (sī mē amās “please”, sī vīvō “as sure as I live”), and with verbs of trying or waiting it means “in case, whether”.[2][1]

Negative conditions usually take nisi;[2] sī quis, sī quandō and sīquidem are often written as single words.[2]

Timeline

  • c. 450 BC – sī in iūs vocat opens the Twelve Tables.[3][4]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses sī with the present for a future condition.[2][4]
  • 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it in a sceptical sense, “if indeed”.[2][4]

Meanings

Conjunction

  1. if, supposing that (with the indicative).[2][3]
  2. If … should, if … were (with the subjunctive, in remote or unfulfilled conditions).[2][3]
  3. If ever, whenever (in general statements).[2]
  4. (in appeals and oaths) sī mē amās, please;[2] sī vīvō, as sure as I live;[2] sī dīs placet, if you please (ironic).[2]
  5. If indeed (sceptical).[2]
  6. In case, whether (after verbs of trying or waiting).[1][3]

Word family

  • nisi
  • sīn
  • sīve
  • seu
  • etsī
  • etiamsī
  • quasi
  • sīquidem
  • sīcubi
  • sīquandō
  • quodsī

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 i j k l m n o p Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de