Where does “which” come from?
which (Chinese) comes from English which, from Middle English which, from Old English hwelċ, from Proto-Germanic hwilīkaz, from Proto-Germanic hwaz, from Proto-Indo-European kʷos, from Proto-Indo-European kʷ- — The primary interrogative root.
which (Chinese): which; discourse marker introducing personal assessment or comment of the preceding clause
Definitions
- which; discourse marker introducing personal assessment or comment of the preceding clause
Ancestry of “which”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | which | What, of those mentioned or implied; The one or... |
| 2 | Middle English | which | which |
| 3 | Old English | hwelċ | which |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | hwilīkaz | what kind of, what sort of |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | hwaz | who, what; whose; whom |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷos | See *kʷis |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷ- | The primary interrogative root |