dunc

Latin

Etymology

From a crossing of tunc (“then”) with dum (“while”), likely facilitated by the resemblance of dum to tum, a synonym and close relative of tunc. Attested in several inscriptions.

Adverb

dunc (not comparable) (Late Latin)

then

Notes

Judging by the widespread sense of 'thus' among Romance descendants, Von Wartburg supposes that dunc already had that sense as well. Löfsted demonstrated that dum was used in that sense in Late Latin.

Numerous descendants reflect the addition of a prefix /a(d)/ or an adverbial suffix /(a)s/.

Derived terms

*dunquam

Descendants

Dalmatian:
- duanc
Italo-Romance:
- Italian: donca, addonca, dunche, adunche (all archaic)
  Arcevia: donga
  
  Viareggio: donca
- Neapolitan: adonca
- Sicilian: dunca, addunca, nunca, annunca, dunchi
North Italian:
- Gallo-Italic:
  - Ligurian: dónca
  - Lombard: donca
  - Piedmontese: donca, donch
- Friulian: doncje, dončhe
- Venetian: donca
  - →? Ladin: donca
Gallo-Romance:
- Franco-Provençal: donc, adonc
- Oïl:
  - Angevin: don, adon
  - Bourguignon: don, aidon
  - Gallo: don, adon
  - Norman: doun
  - Old French: dunc, adonc
    - French: donc
Occitano-Romance:
- Catalan: doncs, donques, donces
- Occitan: donc, adonc, doncas, adoncas, donca
Ibero-Romance:
- Navarro-Aragonese: doncas
- Old Spanish: doncas
Insular Romance:
- Sardinian: duncas, adduncas, ducas, adducas

References

“doncs” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.
Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1911) “dunc”, in Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch (in German), page 215
Walther von Wartburg (1928–2002) “dunc”, in Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, volumes 3: D–F, page 179

Old French

Etymology

Inherited from Vulgar Latin dunc. Compare donkes.

Adverb

dunc

(often Anglo-Norman) then