Etymologically
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jedoch

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Pronunciation

  • /jeːˈdɔx/[1]

Forms

jedoch (conjunction and adverb)[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle High German iedoch, inherited from Old High German iodoh, from Old High German io (“ever, always”) + doh (“yet, though”), the forerunners of je and doch.[2][1][3] The same compound is Middle Low German iodoch and Middle Dutch iedoch, and Dutch has edoch.[3][1]

In this compound the first part, meaning “ever”, lost its sense of time and came to mean “in any case”, as the simple adverb also did in Early New High German.[4] The Grimms' dictionary describes the first part as marking a conditional or contested assertion.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Old High German iodoh is found from about 1000 in Notker and then in Williram, meaning “yet, nevertheless, however, but, in any case”.[6][7][3] Williram writes that Christ, though surrounded by the frailty of the flesh, scheinet ie doh sîne divinitatem per miracula (“yet shows his divinity through miracles”).[5]

Semantic evolution

Middle High German iedoch served as adverb and conjunction, meaning “yet, nevertheless”, “indeed” and “although”.[8] In Early New High German it could still introduce a concessive clause, “even if, although”.[9] In the modern language it is used almost only to correct or limit what precedes, like aber.[5] Unlike plain doch it no longer follows a concessive clause, nor und, oder and aber.[4]

Timeline

  • c. 1000 – Notker uses Old High German iodoh.[6]
  • 1060–1065 – Williram uses ie doh.[7][5]
  • 1077–1081 – Middle High German iedoch appears in the Annolied.[8]

Meanings

Conjunction and adverb

  1. However, yet, but: marks a restriction, reservation or correction of what precedes: Das Wetter war schlecht, jedoch gingen wir los.[2][1]

Usage notes

Jedoch can stand at the head of its clause with or without inversion, or inside it.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Duden. Das große Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache in zehn Bänden (1999), 3rd ed., Mannheim: Dudenverlag
  3. ^ a b c Lloyd, Albert L.; Springer, Otto; Lühr, Rosemarie, et al. (1988–), Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Althochdeutschen, Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht; online ewa.saw-leipzig.de, p. 5, 142
  4. ^ a b Paul, Hermann (2002), Deutsches Wörterbuch: Bedeutungsgeschichte und Aufbau unseres Wortschatzes, 10th ed., ed. Helmut Henne, Heidrun Kämper and Georg Objartel, Tübingen: Niemeyer
  5. ^ a b c d Grimm, Jacob; Grimm, Wilhelm (1854–1961), Deutsches Wörterbuch, 16 vols. in 32, Leipzig: Hirzel; digital: Wörterbuchnetz, Trier Center for Digital Humanities, p. 10, 2294
  6. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Althochdeutsches Wörterbuch, 6th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling
  7. ^ a b Schützeichel, Rudolf (2012), Althochdeutsches Wörterbuch, 7th ed., Berlin / Boston: De Gruyter, p. 166
  8. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Mittelhochdeutsches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling
  9. ^ Anderson, Robert R.; Goebel, Ulrich; Reichmann, Oskar, eds. (1989–), Frühneuhochdeutsches Wörterbuch, Berlin / New York: De Gruyter; FWB-online, fwb-online.de