seulement French · revision 16386

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1121–1134, Philippe de Thaon, Bestiaire (sulement)|origins=la sōlus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /sœl.mɑ̃/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''seulement'''^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French ''sulement'', ''solement'', Middle French ''seullement''.^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|fr|seul|-ment]], from the feminine “seule”, Old French [[m|fro|solement]].^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Wiktionary)^(Littré 1873) Wiktionary traces the Old French form to a Medieval Latin “sōlā mente”; the base [[seul]] continues [[la|sōlus|t=alone]].^(Wiktionary)^(FEW|12, 79a)

+

+ Romance parallels are [[pro|solamen]], [[ca|solament]], [[es|solamente]] and [[it|solamente]].^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In 1121–34 Philippe de Thaon's ''Bestiaire'' uses ''sulement'' for “nothing more, only”.^(TLFi) About 1160 the ''Roman d'Eneas'' has ''tot solement'' “all alone”.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the early 16th century, at the head of a clause, it introduced a restriction, “but, however” (Gringore).^(TLFi) With adverbs of time it meant “not before” (''alors seulement'', 1546), and in negative or interrogative sentences “not even” (Montaigne, 1580).^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ After an imperative it softens or encourages (''allez seulement'', 1525).^(BHVF)^(TLFi) ''Non seulement… mais'' is found in Commynes (about 1496) and Rabelais (1534), and ''si seulement'' “if only” in Grévin (1561).^(BHVF)^(TLFi) In mathematics and logic ''si et seulement si'' expresses a necessary and sufficient condition.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1121–1134 – ''Sulement'' in Philippe de Thaon's ''Bestiaire''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1160 – ''Tot solement'' “all alone”.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1496 – ''Non seulement… mais'' in Commynes.^(BHVF)

+ * Early 16th century – “But, however”, in Gringore.^(TLFi)

+ * 1546 – ''Alors seulement''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1561 – ''Si seulement''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1580 – “Not even”, in Montaigne.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # [[m|en|only]], merely: ''trois personnes seulement'', ''non seulement… mais encore''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+ # Not before, only (of time): ''il arrive seulement demain''.^(Larousse)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # But, however: ''je voudrais bien, seulement je n'ai pas le temps''.^(Larousse)^(TLFi)

+ # ''Pas seulement'': not even: ''il ne sait seulement pas lire''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+ # ''Si seulement'': if only.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # After an imperative, to encourage: ''essaie seulement !''^(TLFi)^(BHVF)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[seul]]

+ * [[solitude]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}