aici

Etymology

It is inherited from Vulgar Latin *ad hīcce (“to here”),^[2][3][1] from Latin hīc (“here”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰi-ḱe (“this, here”).^[1] DELR starts from Latin ⟨hīc(c)e⟩ (a form ⟨ice⟩ is found in a Christian inscription), from ⟨hīc⟩, an old locative of the demonstrative ⟨hic⟩ with the deictic particle ⟨-ce⟩.^[4] The final ⟨-e⟩ comes either from that particle or from the lengthening of monosyllables ending in a consonant, as in miere from mel and cine from quem.^[4] The same Latin form is in Italian ci.^[4][1]

The initial ⟨a-⟩ is disputed.^[4] The DA sees a reinforcing element of the demonstratives, as in acest, acel, acum and acolo.^[4] Philippide, Candrea and Densusianu, Scriban, Ciorănescu and DEX see the preposition a from Latin ad;^[4][2] DELR objects that the preposition cannot have been added in Latin times, since ⟨ad⟩ kept its /d/ before a vowel in very old fusions such as dânsul.^[4]

The Maramureș variant ⟨ai⟩ is from Latin ⟨ad hīc⟩ according to Pușcariu and Ciorănescu;^[2] DELR also allows a shortening of ⟨aici⟩.^[4] aci has a separate source, Latin eccum with ⟨hīc⟩.^[4] Wiktionary compares Aromanian atsia, Spanish aquí and Portuguese aqui.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

DELR's first record is the variant aice in Coresi's Tetraevanghel of 1560–1561.^[4] Tiktin has aici and aicea in the Codicele Voronețean of the 16th century.^[5] The sense is “here, in this place”.^[4]

Semantic evolution

The adverb of place near the speaker, opposed to acolo, also came to mean “at this moment, now”, and in pairs aici…, aici… “now…, now…”.^[3][6] With de it means “from here” and also “hence”: de aici se vede că….^[5]

Its variants and relatives are recorded one after another: aicea in 1599, ici in 1600 and acilea in 1613.^[4]

Timeline

• 1560–1561 – aice in Coresi's Tetraevanghel, the first record.^[4]
• 16th century – aici, aicea in the Codicele Voronețean.^[5]
• 1599 – the variant aicea.^[4]
• 1600 – ici.^[4]
• 1925 – the Maramureș ai.^[4]

Meanings

Adverb

1. here: in this place, near the speaker: Stai aici! Also hither: Vino aici.^[3][1]
2. (with de) From here: Pleacă de aici.^[6]
3. At this moment, now;^[3][6] (in pairs) now…, now…^[3][6]
4. (in phrases) Până aici! “that's enough!”;^[3] Pe-aici ți-e drumul! “get out!”;^[3] cât pe-aci “almost”.^[3]

Word family

• aicea

Related words

• aci
• ici
• acolo
• Latin hīc

Usage notes

Its variants are aci, acia, acilea, aice and aicea.^[3] In Oltenia and western Muntenia aci can mean the place near the listener, as distinct from aici.^[4]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Ciorănescu, Alexandru (1958–1966), Diccionario etimológico rumano, La Laguna: Universidad de La Laguna (Romanian ed.: Dicționarul etimologic al limbii române, București: Saeculum, 2001), p. s.v. aici
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i DEX (2009), Dicționarul explicativ al limbii române [Explanatory dictionary of the Romanian language], Bucharest: Editura Univers Enciclopedic, p. 23
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Academia Română, Institutul de Lingvistică „Iorgu Iordan – Al. Rosetti” (2011–), Dicționarul etimologic al limbii române (DELR), vol. I: A–B (2011), vol. II: C (2015–2018), București: Editura Academiei Române; continued online at delr.lingv.ro, p. s.v. aici
5. ^ a b c Tiktin, Hariton (2000–2005), Rumänisch-deutsches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., revised by Paul Miron and Elsa Lüder, 3 vols., Cluj-Napoca: Clusium, p. s.v. aíci, aícea
6. ^ a b c d Academia Română, Institutul de Lingvistică „Iorgu Iordan – Al. Rosetti” (2010), Micul dicționar academic, 2nd ed., 4 vols., București: Univers Enciclopedic Gold, p. 1, 30