*þō

Reconstruction

Wiktionary reconstructs the adverb *þō "then, at that time".^[1]

Etymology

Wiktionary takes it to be probably an old instrumental neuter form from Proto-Germanic *sa (“that”).^[1] For Old High German dô, EWA considers a preform *þō, with the *ō kept in a monosyllable, and reports Grimm's common preform *þōn for the Old High German, Old English and Old Frisian words.^[2] Köbler derives the Old Low Franconian and Old English adverbs from Proto-Germanic *þē, *þō.^[3][4]

Morphology

An adverb, which Old High German and Old Saxon also use as a conjunction "when".^[2] In Old High German dô the ô was not diphthongized because the word was weakly stressed, against the forms ⟨dhuo⟩ and ⟨duo⟩ of Isidor and the Monsee fragments.^[2]

Evidence

The adverb is attested as Old Saxon thō,^[5] Old Dutch thuo, first in the horse and worm charm of 891–900 from the East Lower Rhine and Westphalia,^[6] and Old High German dô, from the 8th century.^[2] Boutkan and Siebinga set Old Saxon, Old High German and Old Dutch forms of this kind under *þō.^[7]

Competing analyses

Whether Old English þā and Old Frisian thā "then" belong here is uncertain.^[2][7] EWA says that if Old High German dô and the Old English and Old Frisian words are traced to Grimm's common preform *þōn, the forms with -ō would continue the stressed and those with -ā the unstressed Proto-Germanic forms; but the forms with -ā may also go back to *þē.^[2] Boutkan and Siebinga list Old English and Old Saxon words in -ā with the Old Frisian conjunction thā (“when”), apart from the forms under *þō.^[7] Wiktionary counts the Old English and Old Frisian words among the descendants of *þō.^[1]

Meanings

1. then, at that time^[1]

Old Saxon also used it for "now",^[5] Old Dutch also as a conjunction "when",^[6] and Old High German also for "thereupon" and "therefore", and as a conjunction for "while", "because" and "although".^[2]

Reflexes

• Old English: þā (“then, thereupon, when”), if it belongs here^[4][2]
• Old Frisian: thā (“there, then, thereupon”), if it belongs here^[8][2]
• Old Saxon: thō (“then, now”)^[5]
• Old Dutch: thuo (“then”)^[6]
• Old High German: dô (“then, at that time, thereupon”)^[2]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *þō
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Lloyd, Albert L.; Springer, Otto; Lühr, Rosemarie, et al. (1988–), Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Althochdeutschen, Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht; online ewa.saw-leipzig.de, p. s.v. dô
3. ^ Köbler, Gerhard, Altniederfränkisches Wörterbuch, online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. thuo
4. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altenglisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. þā
5. ^ a b c Berr, Samuel (1971), An Etymological Glossary to the Old Saxon Heliand, Berne / Frankfurt: Herbert Lang, p. 416
6. ^ a b c Oudnederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; gtb.ivdnt.org, p. s.v. thuo
7. ^ a b c Boutkan, Dirk; Siebinga, Sjoerd Michiel (2005), Old Frisian Etymological Dictionary, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 1, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. s.v. tha
8. ^ Hofmann, Dietrich; Popkema, Anne Tjerk (2008), Altfriesisches Handwörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. thā