quoique

Forms

quoique^[1] Written as two words, quoi que, from the 12th century and still at times in the 17th; the joined form dates from the 14th century.^[2][3] Anglo-Norman keke, queike and quaique.^[4]

Etymology

It is a compound from French quoi + que.^[5][3][1][6] It replaced the older que que, formed with the unstressed outcome of Latin quid and found in the Chanson de Roland.^[5][2] Littré traces the conjunction to the indefinite pronoun phrase meaning whatever one does.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLFi's first record is quoi que in the epic Jourdain de Blaye, about 1200.^[5]

Semantic evolution

Quoique introduces a clause of concession or opposition, normally with the subjunctive; it competes with bien que, which is more formal and less frequent.^[2] The verb can be left out (quoique pieux, 1656, in Pascal); a participle may follow it from 1715.^[5][2][8] With the indicative, after a pause, it is close to “however, mind you”, adding an afterthought objection; with the conditional it states a possibility.^[2][9] Familiar French has used quoique ça “in spite of that” since 1790, in Hébert's Père Duchesne.^[5][2]

Timeline

• c. 1100 – The older que que in the Chanson de Roland.^[5]
• c. 1200 – Quoi que in Jourdain de Blaye.^[5]
• 14th century – The joined spelling quoique appears.^[2][7]
• 1656 – Pascal uses it with the verb left out, quoique pieux.^[5]
• 1715 – First record with a participle, in Lesage.^[8]
• 1790 – Quoique ça in Le Père Duchesne.^[5]

Meanings

Conjunction

1. Although, though (with the subjunctive): Il est sorti quoiqu'il fasse froid.^[9][5][1]
2. With the verb left out, or with a participle: quoique fatigué, “though tired”.^[9][8]
3. Introducing an afterthought objection, with the indicative or conditional: “mind you”.^[9][2]
4. (familiar) Quoique ça: all the same, in spite of that.^[8][7][2]

Related words

• quoi
• que
• bien que
• encore que

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 2, 1467b
7. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
9. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert