whether English · revision 2505

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 725, Beowulf (Old English hwæþer)|origins=ine-pro *kʷoteros}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈweð.ə/, /ˈhweð.ə/, US /ˈweð.ɚ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|whether]], [[inh|ang|hwæþer|t=which of two]] (also [[m|ang|hweþer]]),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) from [[gem-pro|*hwatharaz]],^(Barnhart 1988) from [[ine-pro|*kʷoteros]],^(Barnhart 1988) formed from the interrogative stem [[m|ine-pro|*kʷo-|t=who]] and the comparative suffix seen in [[other]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) Its relatives include [[la|uter|t=which of two]], [[grc|πότερος|tr=póteros|t=which of two]] and [[de|weder|t=neither]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024)^(Klein 1966) It is related to [[either]], [[neither]], [[neuter]] and [[who]].^(Klein 1966)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ As an adverb, Old English ''hwæþer'', about 725, in ''Beowulf'', and as a word for “which of two”, before 830.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Old English ''hwæþer'' was also a pronoun and adjective meaning “which of the two”, a use now archaic.^(Etymonline)^(AHD) The conjunction introducing alternatives, as in ''I wonder whether he'll come'', is found probably before 1200, in Layamon.^(Barnhart 1988)^(HTOED) ''Whether or not'' and ''whether or no'' are from the 1650s.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 725 – Old English ''hwæþer'' (''Beowulf'').^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 830 – which of two.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1200 – conjunction (Layamon).^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1650s – ''whether or not''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Conjunction===

+ # Used in indirect questions to introduce an alternative: ''ask whether she's coming''.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # Used to introduce alternative possibilities: ''whether you like it or not''.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(archaic)'' Either.^(AHD)

+

+ ===Pronoun===

+ # ''(archaic)'' Which of two.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[either]]

+ * [[neither]]

+ * [[neuter]]

+ * [[who]]

+ * [[other]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}