always English · revision 1852

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=c. 1230|origins=ang ealne weg}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈɔːl.weɪz/, /-wəz/, /-wɪz/ ''(UK)''; /ˈɔːl-/, /ˈɑːl-/ ''(US)''^(Roach et al. 2011)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|alwayes]], [[m|enm|alweis]], an alteration of [[m|enm|alwey]], [[m|enm|alway]] under the influence of the adverbial genitive ending [[m|enm|-es]];^(MWU 2024)^(AHD 2000) ''alwey'' is in turn [[inh|ang|ealne weg|t=all the way]], formed from [[m|ang|ealne]], the accusative of [[m|ang|eall|t=all]], and [[m|ang|weg|t=way]].^(AHD 2000)^(MWU 2024)^(Etymonline) According to Barnhart two phrases merged: Old English ''ealne weg'', an adverbial accusative meaning “the whole way”, which before 899 also took the sense “at every time, continually”, and a genitive phrase [[m|enm|alles weis|t=at every time]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Chambers 2008) The New Oxford Dictionary suggests that the genitive at first gave the sense “at every time”, as opposed to “at one uninterrupted time”, a difference no longer felt.^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ At every time, on every occasion (c. 1230 in the OED; the sense “every time” is from the early 13th century in Etymonline).^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Etymonline notes that although ''ealne weg'' literally expressed distance, its oldest recorded uses already refer to time.^(Etymonline) The form with ''-s'' appeared in the early 13th century but was rare before about 1400;^(Etymonline) Barnhart dates ''always'' itself to about 1350, after which it gradually gained ground on ''alway''.^(Barnhart 1988) ''Alway'' survived into the 1800s, mostly as a conscious archaism in poetry, as in the hymn “I Would Not Live Alway”.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) The sense “for all time, perpetually” is recorded from 1375,^(OED 1989) and “in any case, at any rate”, as in ''you can always resign'', from the early 15th century.^(HTOED)^(OED 1989) From about 1470 to 1825 it could also mean “nevertheless”,^(HTOED) and in Scots it means “still”.^(Chambers 2008) Used with a continuous tense, as in ''she is always complaining'', it often suggests annoyance.^(Wiktionary)^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 899 – Old English ''ealne weg'', continually.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1230 – at every time.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1350 – the form ''always''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1375 – for all time, perpetually.^(OED 1989)

+ * early 15th century – in any event, at any rate.^(HTOED)

+ * 1800s – ''alway'' survives only as an archaism.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # At all times; on every occasion; [[invariably]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Collins 2023)

+ # For all time; [[forever]]: ''they will always be friends''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Throughout a long period of the past: ''she had always been healthy''.^(COED 2004)^(NODE 1998)

+ # Repeatedly, often annoyingly so.^(COED 2004)^(Wiktionary)

+ # In any case; failing all else: ''you can always resign''.^(AHD)^(COED 2004)

+ # ''(Scotland)'' Still.^(Chambers 2008)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[all]]

+ * [[way]]

+ * [[alway]]

+ * [[ever]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Random House distinguishes ''always'' from ''ever'': ''always'' often implies repetition producing uniformity (''the sun always rises in the east''), while ''ever'' suggests an unchanging sameness throughout.^(RHWU)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}