un French · revision 16193

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 980, Passion de Clermont|origins=ine-pro *h₁óynos}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /œ̃/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA: /ɛ̃/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA: /œ̃.n‿/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA: /ɛ̃.n‿/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''un''' ''m'' (feminine une, plural des, negative de)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|un]], [[inh|la|ūnus|t=one]].^(Grand Robert 2005)^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary) The Latin numeral early took on the value of an indefinite article, already in Plautus and Cicero.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) In the sense “alone” “ūnus” was replaced by [[m|la|sōlus]] (whence [[seul]]) or strengthened by it.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007) It continues Old Latin [[m|la|oinos]], from [[itc-pro|*oinos]], from [[ine-pro|*h₁óynos]];^(Wiktionary) Rey connects it, like [[grc|οἴνη|tr=oínē|t=the ace on a die]], with an Indo-European root meaning “single, unique”, well represented in Germanic: [[de|ein]], [[en|one]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ Cognate with [[ro|unu]], [[it|uno]], [[oc|un]], [[es|un]] and [[pt|um]].^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==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”.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989) Rey dates the first use as an indefinite article to the earliest texts.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==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.^(DHLF 1992) It became the usual indefinite article only from the 17th century.^(DHLF 1992) 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.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ As a pronoun ''l'un'' is found in the ''Chanson de Roland'', with ''autre'' in ''li uns… li altre''.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) ''Un'' “someone” survives in familiar ''comme un qui…'' and in ''pas un'' “not one” (1559).^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) ''C'est tout un'' “it's all the same” is found in Rabelais (1532).^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 980 – The numeral ''un'' in the ''Passion de Clermont''.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+ * c. 1100 – ''Un sul mot'' “a single word” in the ''Chanson de Roland''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1080 – The plural ''uns'', ''unes'' and pronominal ''l'un''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1532 – ''Ce m'est tout ung'' in Rabelais.^(TLFi)

+ * 1559 – ''Pas un'' “none” in Amyot.^(TLFi)

+ * 17th century – ''Un'' becomes the regular indefinite article.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Article===

+ # [[m|en|a]], an: the indefinite article; feminine ''une'', plural ''des''.^(Wiktionary)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ===Numeral===

+ # [[m|en|one]]: the first number, the [[m|en|unit]]: ''un franc'', ''vingt et un''.^(GLLF 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+ # One only, single: ''en un jour''.^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ===Pronoun===

+ # One (of several): ''l'un d'eux'', ''l'un… l'autre'' “the one … the other”.^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''Pas un'': not one, none.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # The number one, the figure 1.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[unième]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[seul]]

+ * [[unique]]

+ * [[unir]]

+ * [[union]]

+ * [[la|ūnus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}