seica

Galician

Alternative forms

• seique

Etymology

From Old Galician-Portuguese sei ca (since the 13th century, used by the Galician Pero da Ponte), from sei (“I know”) + que (“that”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈsei̯kɐ]

Adverb

seica

1. (idiomatic) so they say; apparently, reportedly; probably; perhaps, perchance

   Synonym: disque

   —Disque el manda na súa casa: seica ten can.

   —He rules in his own home, so they say: probably he has a dog.

   —Aprobaches? —Seica si.

   —Did you passed (the exam)? —Apparently I did.

   • 1671, Gabriel Feijoo de Araujo, Contenda dos labradores de Caldelas:

     —E que ay? como lle bai? Tan cedo à beira do rrio? Seica ben toma-lo frio alor dà calor que bai?

     —What's up? How do you do? So soon at the bank of the river? Perchance you came to take some fresh air because it's hot?

   • 1775, María Francisca Isla y Losada, Romance:

     Ôu mèu Crego? Seica qués,
     que eu vote a lengoa â pastàr?
     Catao ben, e despois non
     che pese, ò que ágora fás.

     Oh, my clergyman? Reportedly you want
     that I let my tongue free range?
     Watch it carefully, or either don't you later
     regret what you do now

References

• “sei ca” in Xavier Varela Barreiro & Xavier Gómez Guinovart: Corpus Xelmírez - Corpus lingüístico da Galicia medieval. SLI / Grupo TALG / ILG, 2006–2018.
• “seica” in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega, SLI - ILGA 2006–2013.
• “seica” in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega. Santiago: ILG.
• “seica” in Álvarez, Rosario (coord.): Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués, Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega.