donc French · revision 16321

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=inherited|attested=c. 980, Jonas fragment of Valenciennes|origins=la dunc}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /dɔ̃k/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA: /dɔ̃/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''donc'''^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French [[m|fro|dunc]] (980), then ''donc'' and ''donques'', used until the 17th century.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|dunc]], [[inh|la|dunc|t=then; therefore]], recorded in imperial Latin, whose formation is disputed.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(FEW|3, 179b) The TLFi, the Grand Robert, the Petit Robert and Wiktionary see it as a blend of [[m|la|dum|t=while, (with an imperative) come on]] with [[m|la|tunc|t=then]], Bloch and Wartburg and the GLLF start from “dumque”, an extension of “dum”, a particle that in Late Latin was joined to imperatives (“agedum” “come on”) and came to mean “therefore”.^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(GLLF 1989) A derivation from “donique”, an extension of “dōnec” “until”, is thought less likely.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) The Old French ending “-que(s)” is due to Latin “unquam”.^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ Littré reports Diez's derivation from Latin “ad tunc” “then” and himself suggests “de unquam”.^(Littré 1873) Cognate with [[it|dunque]], [[oc|donc]] and [[ca|doncs]].^(Wiktionary)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found in the Jonas fragment of Valenciennes (980) as ''dunc'', in the temporal sense “then”, the sense it also has in the ''Vie de saint Alexis'' (about 1050).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The temporal sense “then” has disappeared.^(DHLF 1992) From about 1175 ''donc'' expressed a consequence or a conclusion, and at the same time (1172–1175) it was used, like Latin ''dum'', to strengthen an imperative, an adverb or an exclamation (''ce sachiez dons'').^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) The strengthened Old French form [[adonc]] “then” (about 1170) went out of use in the 17th century except in burlesque or archaizing style, but lives on in dialects.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 980 – ''Dunc'' “then” in the Jonas fragment of Valenciennes.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1050 – “Then” in the ''Vie de saint Alexis''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1170 – ''Adonc''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1172–1175 – With an imperative, in Chrétien de Troyes's ''Chevalier de la Charrette''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1175 – Expressing a conclusion, in Chrétien de Troyes's ''Yvain''.^(TLFi)

+ * 17th century – ''Donques'' and ''adonc'' fall out of use.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Conjunction===

+ # [[m|en|therefore|alt=Therefore]], so, consequently: ''Je pense, donc je suis.''^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # So, as I was saying, resuming after a digression: ''Je disais donc que…''^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # Strengthening an imperative or exclamation: ''Viens donc !'', ''Dis donc !'', ''Allons donc !''^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)

+ # Expressing surprise or disbelief: ''Qu'as-tu donc ?''^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[adonc]]

+ * [[la|tunc]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}