algo

Forms

algo^[1] Houaiss records the forms aligo (897, in a Latin charter), algo (1174), algu (13th century) and alguo (15th century).^[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Latin aliquod (“something”), the neuter of aliquis (“someone, something”), written Old Galician-Portuguese algo in the oldest texts.^[2][3][4][1] The Latin pronoun is formed from ali- and the indefinite quis (“anyone”).^[5]

The same Latin word is Spanish algo and Galician algo, and in Spanish, Portuguese and Galician it also came to mean “goods, wealth”.^[6][7] From the phrase filho de algo, literally “son of something”, that is, of a man of property, came fidalgo “nobleman”.^[8][4][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

A Latin charter of 897 already has the Romance form: et aliguno omine de isto que in testamento fesona aligo inde quesieri “and if any man wants anything from what is in this testament”.^[4] A document of 1174 says that the addressees had done moyt algo “much good” for the settlement of Caína.^[4] In the Crónica Troiana the word is both a pronoun “something” and a noun “riches, fortune”.^[9]

Semantic evolution

In the medieval language the noun algo meant property and wealth, a favour or benefit, an improvement made to land, and income or gain; documents of 1178 and 1285 have fazer algo “to make improvements” on a holding.^[10] In the cantigas fazer algo a alguém is to grant someone favours, and dar algo to make a gift.^[9] The noun was common until the 16th century, but Morais in 1789 already marks it as antiquated.^[9][11] Viterbo says it was also the title of men noble by birth and merit.^[10]

As a pronoun and as an adverb “somewhat, rather” the word lives on.^[2][12] Barbosa in 1611 already has algo mais “something more” and algo menos “somewhat less”.^[13]

Timeline

• 897 – a Latin charter writes aligo.^[4][2]
• 1174 – moyt algo “much good” in a charter.^[4]
• 13th century – the noun “goods, wealth” and the form algu.^[3][2]
• 1291 – a deed of gift to the monastery of Salzedas is made por muito d'algo e d'amor “for much favour and love”.^[14]
• 1400 – algo in a fragment of the Flos Sanctorum from Santiago de Compostela.^[15]
• 1569 – Cardoso renders it with Latin aliquid.^[16]
• 1611 – Barbosa has algo mais and algo menos.^[13]
• 1789 – Morais marks the noun “property, goods” as antiquated.^[11]

Meanings

Pronoun

1. something, anything, an unspecified thing: Queres algo para beber?^[2][17][1]

Adverb

1. somewhat, rather, to some degree: um vinho algo ácido.^[2][18][1]

Noun

1. (archaic) Property, goods, money, wealth.^[2][17]
2. (archaic) A rich or powerful person; a nobleman.^[2][19]

Word family

• fidalgo

Related words

• alguém
• algum
• Latin aliquis
• Spanish algo

Usage notes

Ser algo, like ser alguém, can still mean “to be somebody, an important person”.^[12]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Houaiss, Antônio; Villar, Mauro de Salles (2001), Dicionário Houaiss da língua portuguesa, Rio de Janeiro: Objetiva, p. s.v. algo
3. ^ a b Cunha, Antônio Geraldo da (2010), Dicionário etimológico da língua portuguesa, 4th ed., Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon, p. s.v. algo
4. ^ a b c d e f Machado, José Pedro (1987), Dicionário etimológico da língua portuguesa, 4th ed., 5 vols., Lisboa: Livros Horizonte, p. s.v. algo
5. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. aliquis
6. ^ a b García de Diego, Vicente (1985), Diccionario etimológico español e hispánico, 2nd ed., Madrid: Espasa-Calpe (1st ed. 1954), p. s.v. aliquod
7. ^ Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
8. ^ Silva, António de Morais (1813), Diccionario da lingua portugueza, 2nd ed., 2 vols., Lisboa: Typographia Lacerdina, p. 1, 93
9. ^ a b c Instituto da Lingua Galega, Dicionario de dicionarios do galego medieval (DDGM), ed. Ernesto González Seoane, Santiago de Compostela: Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, https://ilg.usc.gal/ddgm, p. s.v. algo
10. ^ a b Viterbo, Joaquim de Santa Rosa de (1798–1799), Elucidario das palavras, termos e frases que em Portugal antiguamente se usárão, 2 vols., Lisboa: Simão Thaddeo Ferreira, p. 1, 92
11. ^ a b Silva, António de Morais (1789), Diccionario da lingua portugueza composto pelo padre D. Rafael Bluteau, reformado, e accrescentado, 2 vols., Lisboa: Simão Thaddeo Ferreira, p. 1, 58
12. ^ a b Aulete, Francisco Júlio Caldas, Dicionário contemporâneo da língua portuguesa (1st ed. 1881), online as Aulete Digital, Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon, https://aulete.com.br, p. s.v. algo
13. ^ a b Barbosa, Agostinho (1611), Dictionarium lusitanicolatinum, Braga: Fructuoso Lourenço de Basto (CLP transcription, Universidade de Aveiro), p. s.v. algo
14. ^ Viterbo, Joaquim de Santa Rosa de (1798–1799), Elucidario das palavras, termos e frases que em Portugal antiguamente se usárão, 2 vols., Lisboa: Simão Thaddeo Ferreira, p. 1, 91
15. ^ Centro de Linguística da Universidade de Lisboa, CTA – Corpus de Textos Antigos, https://teitok.clul.ul.pt/cta, p. s.v. algo
16. ^ Cardoso, Jerónimo (1569–1570), Dictionarium ex lusitanico in latinum sermonem, Lisboa: João Álvares (CLP transcription, Universidade de Aveiro), p. s.v. algo
17. ^ a b Ferreira, Aurélio Buarque de Holanda, Novo dicionário Aurélio da língua portuguesa, digital edition, p. s.v. algo
18. ^ Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa, Lisboa: Priberam Informática, https://dicionario.priberam.org, p. s.v. algo
19. ^ Michaelis: Moderno Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa, São Paulo: Melhoramentos (online as Michaelis Dicionário Brasileiro da Língua Portuguesa, https://michaelis.uol.com.br), p. s.v. algo