mais French · revision 16220

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=2nd half of 10th century|origins=la magis}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /mɛ/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA: /mɛ.z‿/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''mais'''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|mais]], [[inh|la|magis|t=more; rather]].^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Wiktionary) “Magis” meant “more”, but unlike [[m|la|plūs]], which expressed number and quantity, it usually had the qualitative sense “rather”; it served to form periphrastic comparatives, as in “magis sanus” “healthier”.^(DHLF 1992) It was joined to [[m|la|sed|t=but]] in “sed magis” “but rather”, and, from there came to be used alone as an adversative conjunction, replacing “sed” in spoken Latin and in all the Romance languages.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Rey thinks it probably adapts an older “*mais”, known in Oscan, under the influence of [[m|la|magnus|t=great]].^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ Cognate with [[it|ma]], [[it|mai]], [[es|mas]], [[pt|mas]] and [[oc|mais]]; [[ro|mai]] has only the Latin sense “more”.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In the second half of the 10th century ''mais'' is found both as an adverb of time, in ''ja non… mais'' “never again”, and as a conjunction introducing an idea contrary to one already expressed, in the ''Vie de saint Léger''.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Old French ''mais'' was still an adverb of quantity, “more” (late 10th century), and of time, “from now on” (''mais'' + future, about 1100) or ''ne… mais'' “no longer” (about 1050).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) These senses survive in compounds such as [[jamais]] and [[désormais]] and in the old phrase ''n'en pouvoir mais'' “to be unable to help it” (about 1160), where ''mais'' still means “more”.^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(GLLF 1989) In comparison, ''plus'' ousted it in French, though Spanish kept [[m|es|más]].^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ The conjunction marks contradiction, restriction or objection, and at the head of a sentence a transition or surprise (''mais enfin !'').^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 2nd half of 10th century – ''Ja non… mais'' “never again”, and the conjunction in the ''Vie de saint Léger''.^(TLFi)

+ * late 10th century – ''Mais'' “more”, in the ''Passion de Clermont''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1050 – ''Ne… mais'' “no longer” in the ''Vie de saint Alexis''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1100 – ''Mais'' + future “from now on”.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1160 – ''N'en pouvoir mais''.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Conjunction===

+ # [[m|en|but]]: introduces an idea contrary to what has been said: ''intelligent mais paresseux''.^(Wiktionary)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # But: marks a restriction or a correction after a negative: ''ce n'est pas ma faute, mais la tienne''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # At the head of a sentence, marks a transition, objection or surprise: ''mais c'est de la folie !''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # Strengthens ''oui'', ''non'', ''si'': ''mais oui'', ''mais bien sûr''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(literary)'' ''N'en pouvoir mais'': to be unable to help it.^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ===Interjection===

+ # Expresses surprise, disbelief or annoyance: ''mais enfin !''.^(Wiktionary)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[désormais]]

+ * [[jamais]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[plus]]

+ * [[la|magis]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Norman dialect keeps ''il n'a mais que dire'' “he has nothing more to say” and ''mais que'' “when”.^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}