уже

Forms

уже́ (užé)^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old East Slavic уже (uže), from Proto-Slavic *ju(že) (“already”).^[1][2][3] It is a compound of the adverb *ju (“now, then”) and the particle *že (see же).^[4][2] The first part survives on its own in Old East Slavic у (u, “now, then”) and Old Church Slavonic ю (ju, “already, now”).^[4][5] The negated не у (ne u) meant “not yet”.^[4][5] The other Slavic languages have Old Church Slavonic оуже (uže) beside юже (juže), Bulgarian уж (už), Slovene že, Czech již, Slovak už and Polish już.^[5][4][3]

The first part is related to Lithuanian jaũ (“already”), Latvian jàu and Old Prussian iau, going back to Proto-Indo-European *jou.^[5][4][2] Vasmer holds that in East Slavic it fell together with *u, a relative of Ancient Greek αὖ (aû, “again, on the other hand”) and Latin aut (“or”), seen also in Old Russian убо (ubo, “so, then”);^[5] Wiktionary gives the same alternative for the first part.^[1] Chernykh connects the adverb with ужин.^[4] уж is a short form of the word, and dialects have ужо “later; just you wait”.^[5][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Lay of Igor's Campaign uses it nineteen times, as in „О Руская земле! уже за шеломянемъ еси!” “O Russian land, you are already beyond the hill!”.^[6] Chernykh dates it in Old Russian from the 11th century, and Vasmer cites the Church Slavonic ю “already” from an 11th-century Gregory of Nazianzus.^[4][5]

Semantic evolution

Old Russian уже meant “already” and “now, there it is”, but also “soon, near at hand”, “and” and “in that case”.^[4][7] It is in the dictionaries from 1627.^[2]

In the dialects and in folk poetry it can mean “later, some time”, as recorded in Saratov in 1845, and it opens questions for emphasis (уже где борцы? “where are the wrestlers, then?”).^[8] With ли it formed уже ли, a polite or hesitant question.^[8]

Timeline

• 11th century – ю “already” in a Church Slavonic Gregory of Nazianzus.^[5]
• 11th century – уже in Old Russian.^[4]
• 1627 – уже in a dictionary.^[2]
• 1845 – dialect уже “later” recorded in Saratov.^[8]

Meanings

Adverb

1. already: something has happened or is the case, unlike before: он уже уехал “he has already left”.^[9][10]
2. By now, by then: через месяц он уже будет дома.^[9][1]
3. (with a negative) No longer, anymore: я уже не сержусь.^[1]

Particle

1. Stresses a word or a quantity: уже в пять утра “as early as five in the morning”.^[10][1]

Word family

• неужели
• уж
• ужели
• ужель

Related words

• ужо
• же
• Old East Slavic уже (uže)

Usage notes

A different word у́же is the comparative of узкий “narrow”.^[11][10] The old noun у́же “rope” is a separate word, from *vǫže, related to вязать.^[12]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Shaposhnikov, A. K. (2010), Ètimologičeskij slovar' sovremennogo russkogo jazyka [Этимологический словарь современного русского языка], 2 vols., Moskva: Flinta / Nauka, p. 2, 450
3. ^ a b Derksen, Rick (2008), Etymological Dictionary of the Slavic Inherited Lexicon, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 4, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 207
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Chernykh, P. Ya. (1993), Istoriko-ètimologičeskij slovar' sovremennogo russkogo jazyka [Историко-этимологический словарь современного русского языка], 2 vols., Moskva: Russkij jazyk, p. 2, s.v. уже
5. ^ a b c d e f g h Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), Ètimologičeskij slovar' russkogo jazyka, transl. and suppl. by O. N. Trubačev, 4 vols., Moskva: Progress, p. 4, 151–152
6. ^ 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. уже
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. уже
8. ^ a b c Filin, F. P.; Sorokoletov, F. P.; Myznikov, S. A. (eds.) (1965–), Slovar' russkix narodnyx govorov [Словарь русских народных говоров], vols. 1–51, Moskva / Leningrad / Sankt-Peterburg: Nauka, p. 46, 332
9. ^ a b Ozhegov, S. I.; Shvedova, N. Yu. (1997), Tolkovyj slovar' russkogo jazyka [Толковый словарь русского языка], 4th ed., Moskva: Azbukovnik, p. s.v. уже
10. ^ a b c 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. уже
11. ^ Ushakov, D. N. (ed.) (1935–1940), Tolkovyj slovar' russkogo jazyka [Толковый словарь русского языка], 4 vols., Moskva: Sovetskaja ènciklopedija / OGIZ, p. s.v. уже
12. ^ Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), Ètimologičeskij slovar' russkogo jazyka, transl. and suppl. by O. N. Trubačev, 4 vols., Moskva: Progress, p. 4, 152