Talk:first

Adverb?[edit]

firstly says it is an adverb and an alternative to first, but there's no adverb entry here

That’s because first is both an adjective and its own adverb. Example of adverbial usage: If you’re coming over, call first. I first visited Canada in 1990. The word firstly, although an adverb and a derivation of first, is a separate word and is not a regular adverb of first. —Stephen 19:58, 17 May 2007 (UTC)[reply]

I think then that Stephen, you agree, with whoever wrote the first note, and provided nice examples of first used as adverb. Or, do you have have in mind a use of first as simultaneously adjective and adverb and neglected to provide an example? I do think an adverb section is warranted. Makearney 17:59, 27 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

etymology of First.[edit]

It would seem to me that first comes from fore+-est meaning that it is, essentially, the foremost. Other words have similar origins; near was once nigher. The German equivalent is erst seemingly from eher (before) and -est, superlative. Perhaps this word evolved a long time ago in the germanic languages, but I have looked around and seen no ultimate origin of first. I will, of course, not stick this in the article as the etymology as it is only my own musing.

Here is a website that agrees: http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=first&searchmode=none.

www.etymonline.com is a very reputable etymology site that can be trusted. —Stephen 16:21, 18 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Cognate with Ukrainian and Russian[edit]

I think this word is a cognate with Ukrainian 'перший' an Russian 'первый'.—GPodkolzin ^Talk 05:49, 11 July 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Locative[edit]

Why is this in Category:English locatives? GaylordFancypants (talk)

I boldly went ahead and removed much and first from that category. GaylordFancypants (talk)

the first the earliest[edit]

The first I heard about the wedding (= the first time I became aware of it) was when... --Backinstadiums (talk) 14:45, 21 August 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Arguable. In most cases this could be parsed as "the first [thing] I heard about the wedding", rather than the first time. Equinox ◑ 22:20, 21 August 2020 (UTC)[reply]

(Noun, the first) 2. (plural the first) Sheila and Jim were the first to arrive. --Backinstadiums (talk) 12:12, 24 November 2020 (UTC)[reply]