somit

Forms

somit^[1]

Etymology

It is from German so + mit, a fusion of the adverb with the preposition that meant “with this, with that”, like the more usual damit.^[2][3][1] Paul thinks it probably began as a word of the chanceries, like its synonym sonach.^[4] Campe notes that Adelung marked it as Upper German.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Adelung records somit in 1780 in the sense “thereby, consequently”.^[4]

Semantic evolution

The literal sense “with that, thereupon” still occurs in Clemens Brentano: somit entließ er sie “with that he dismissed them”.^[2] Usually, and today almost only, the adverb introduces a conclusion, “accordingly, consequently”, in the same way as mithin and sonach.^[2][3] Goethe has it in this sense: den Plan und somit auch den Zweck des Gedichtes “the plan and thus also the purpose of the poem”.^[4]

Timeline

• 1777 – Adelung records the synonym sonach.^[4]
• 1780 – Adelung records somit “thereby, consequently”.^[4]

Meanings

Adverb

1. Therefore, consequently, thus: introduces what follows from what has just been said: Der letzte Bus war weg, und somit mussten wir laufen.^[5][1]
2. With that, by that; also stating a consequence that is simply a fact: Sie war 19 und somit die Älteste im Kurs.^[5][3]

Related words

• so
• mit
• damit
• mithin
• sonach

Usage notes

The stress is usually on the second syllable, /zoːˈmɪt/, but first-syllable stress is also heard.^[1][5]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ 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. 16, 1508
3. ^ a b c Wiktionary, das freie Wörterbuch (German Wiktionary), de.wiktionary.org
4. ^ a b c d e 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 Duden. Das große Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache in zehn Bänden (1999), 3rd ed., Mannheim: Dudenverlag