только

Forms

то́лько (tólʹko)^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old East Slavic толико (toliko, “so much; only”), from Proto-Slavic *toliko.^[1][2][3] The word is shared by the other Slavic languages: Ukrainian тільки (tilʹky), Old Church Slavonic толикъ (tolikŭ, “so great, so much”), Bulgarian толко (tolko, “so much”), Czech tolik (“so much”) and Slovak toliký (“so great”).^[2]

Vasmer derives it from the pronoun stem *to- (see тот) with the particle *li and the suffix *-ko, and compares the formation of Ancient Greek τηλίκος (tēlíkos, “so great”) and Latin tālis (“such”).^[2] Shaposhnikov starts from the phrase *to li “to that point, to such a degree”,^[3] and Shansky and Bobrova from the adverb Old Church Slavonic толи (toli, “to that degree”).^[4][2] The same stem with other suffixes gives Old East Slavic тольма (tolʹma, “so much”) and Old Church Slavonic тольми (tolʹmi).^[2][4]

столько and сколько are formed in the same way.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Izbornik of 1076 already has the older form толико “so much, so”: „Толико троужаисѧ ѥлико мошти начьнеши” “toil as much as you can”.^[5] The sense “only, just”, which the modern word has, appears in a Menaion of the 11th–12th century.^[6]

Semantic evolution

In Old Russian толико was both an adverb of degree, “so much, to such a degree”, and a limiting particle, “only”.^[5][6] Sreznevsky also records the senses “barely” and “just now”.^[7] The contracted толко is common in the chronicles: the Hypatian Chronicle, in a 15th-century copy, says that Yaropolk pursued the enemy “not waiting for help from his brother or anyone else, only with the men of Pereyaslavl”.^[8] The Lay of Igor's Campaign has „полозіе ползоша только” “only the snakes crawled”.^[8]

The conjunctions grew from the particle: in charters of 1387–1388 толко means “if, provided that”, and in a chronicle of about 1425 “as soon as”.^[9] The dictionaries list толико развѣ in 1627, только лишь from 1731 and только from 1771.^[3]

Timeline

• 1076 – толико “so much” in the Izbornik of 1076.^[5]
• 11th–12th century – толико “only” in a Menaion.^[6]
• 1387 – толко “if” in a West Russian charter.^[9]
• about 1425 – толко “as soon as” in a chronicle copy.^[9]
• 1627 – толико развѣ in Berynda's dictionary.^[3]
• 1771 – только recorded in a dictionary.^[3]

Meanings

Particle

1. only, just: no more than, nothing but;^[10] ему только пять лет “he is only five”.^[11][12]
2. Only, solely, exclusively: singling one out from many, as in только она пришла “only she came”.^[11]
3. (emphatic, after pronouns and adverbs) Stresses a question or exclamation: куда только он делся? “where on earth has he got to?”.^[11]

Conjunction

1. As soon as, the moment that: только он вошёл, зазвонил телефон.^[11][10]
2. but, however: я приду, только поздно “I'll come, but late”.^[11]
3. Provided that, if only: я помогу, только попроси.^[11]
4. не только …, но и “not only …, but also”.^[11][3]

Adverb

1. (colloquial) Just, a moment ago: я только пришёл “I've just come in”.^[11][10]

Related words

• столько
• сколько
• тот
• Old East Slavic толико (toliko)

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), Ètimologičeskij slovar' russkogo jazyka, transl. and suppl. by O. N. Trubačev, 4 vols., Moskva: Progress, p. 4, 74–75
3. ^ a b c d e f Shaposhnikov, A. K. (2010), Ètimologičeskij slovar' sovremennogo russkogo jazyka [Этимологический словарь современного русского языка], 2 vols., Moskva: Flinta / Nauka, p. 2, 420
4. ^ a b Shansky, N. M.; Bobrova, T. A. (2004), Škol'nyj ètimologičeskij slovar' russkogo jazyka [Школьный этимологический словарь русского языка], 7th ed., Moskva: Drofa, p. s.v. только
5. ^ a b c Avanesov, R. I. et al. (eds.) (1988–), Slovar' drevnerusskogo jazyka (XI–XIV vv.) [Словарь древнерусского языка (XI–XIV вв.)], vols. 1–13, Moskva: Russkij jazyk / Azbukovnik, p. 13, 579
6. ^ a b c Avanesov, R. I. et al. (eds.) (1988–), Slovar' drevnerusskogo jazyka (XI–XIV vv.) [Словарь древнерусского языка (XI–XIV вв.)], vols. 1–13, Moskva: Russkij jazyk / Azbukovnik, p. 13, 580
7. ^ Sreznevsky, I. I. (1893–1912), Materialy dlja slovarja drevne-russkago jazyka po pis'mennym pamjatnikam [Материалы для словаря древнерусского языка по письменным памятникам], 3 vols., Sankt-Peterburg: Imperatorskaja Akademija nauk, p. 3, s.v. только
8. ^ a b Vinogradova, V. L. (1965–1984), Slovar'-spravočnik «Slova o polku Igoreve» [Словарь-справочник «Слова о полку Игореве»], 6 vols., Moskva / Leningrad: Nauka, p. s.v. только
9. ^ a b c Avanesov, R. I. et al. (eds.) (1988–), Slovar' drevnerusskogo jazyka (XI–XIV vv.) [Словарь древнерусского языка (XI–XIV вв.)], vols. 1–13, Moskva: Russkij jazyk / Azbukovnik, p. 13, 591
10. ^ a b c Efremova, T. F. (2000), Novyj slovar' russkogo jazyka. Tolkovo-slovoobrazovatel'nyj [Новый словарь русского языка. Толково-словообразовательный], 2 vols., Moskva: Russkij jazyk, p. s.v. только
11. ^ a b c d e f g h Ozhegov, S. I.; Shvedova, N. Yu. (1997), Tolkovyj slovar' russkogo jazyka [Толковый словарь русского языка], 4th ed., Moskva: Azbukovnik, p. s.v. только
12. ^ Evgen'eva, A. P. (ed.) (1981–1984), Slovar' russkogo jazyka v četyrex tomax [Словарь русского языка в 4 тт.] (MAS), 2nd ed., Moskva: Russkij jazyk, p. s.v. только