Post History
I quote the OED 's etymology for the adverb inasmuch. originally 3 words in as much (in northern Middle English in als mikel), subsequently sometimes written as 2 words, in asmuch, and now (espe...
Question
etymology
#4: Post edited
by
PSTH
·
2022-03-18T07:52:09Z (over 2 years ago)
How did 'in' + 'as' + 'much' compound to mean "in an equal or like degree"?
- How did 'in' + 'as' + 'much' (⟶ inasmuch) compound to mean "in an equal or like degree"?
#3: Post edited
by
PSTH
·
2022-03-05T18:52:12Z (almost 3 years ago)
I quote the [_OED_](http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/93176#eid755936) 's etymology for_ inasmuch_ {adverb}.- >originally 3 words *in as much* (in northern Middle English *in als mikel*), subsequently sometimes written as 2 words, *in asmuch*, and now (especially since 17th cent.) as one.
- >
- >I. In phrase **inasmuch AS**.
- >[=] In so far as, [...], in proportion as,
- >
- >[...]
- >
- >†3. **in as much** (Notice the absence of *as*)
- = [4.] In an equal or like `degree`, likewise.
- 1. What exactly does each Functional Morpheme ([in](http://www.oed.com/search?searchType=dictionary&q=in&_searchBtn=Search),
- [as](http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/11307?rskey=bFp1yM&result=6&isAdvanced=false#eid), [much](http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/123133?rskey=mtgwpV&result=1&isAdvanced=false#eid)) mean here? Please specify which definition from each Functional Morpheme's _OED_ webpage applies.
- 2. How did these 3 Functional Morphemes compound to mean definition 4 above? I'm befuddled, because 3 contains no word that means `degree` in definition 4. So whence did the semantic notion of `degree` stem?
- 3. To wit, what semantic notions underlie _in_, _as_, _much_ with 'in an equal or like degree'?
- I quote the [_OED_](http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/93176#eid755936) 's etymology for the adverb _inasmuch_.
- >originally 3 words *in as much* (in northern Middle English *in als mikel*), subsequently sometimes written as 2 words, *in asmuch*, and now (especially since 17th cent.) as one.
- >
- >I. In phrase **inasmuch AS**.
- >[=] In so far as, [...], in proportion as,
- >
- >[...]
- >
- >†3. **in as much** (Notice the absence of *as*)
- = [4.] In an equal or like `degree`, likewise.
- 1. What exactly does each Functional Morpheme ([in](http://www.oed.com/search?searchType=dictionary&q=in&_searchBtn=Search),
- [as](http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/11307?rskey=bFp1yM&result=6&isAdvanced=false#eid), [much](http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/123133?rskey=mtgwpV&result=1&isAdvanced=false#eid)) mean here? Please specify which definition from each Functional Morpheme's _OED_ webpage applies.
- 2. How did these 3 Functional Morphemes compound to mean definition 4 above? I'm befuddled, because 3 contains no word that means `degree` in definition 4. So whence did the semantic notion of `degree` stem?
- 3. To wit, what semantic notions underlie _in_, _as_, _much_ with 'in an equal or like degree'?
#2: Post edited
by
PSTH
·
2022-03-05T18:52:00Z (almost 3 years ago)
I quote the [_OED_](http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/93176#eid755936) 's etymology for_ inasmuch _{adverb}.- >originally 3 words *in as much* (in northern Middle English *in als mikel*), subsequently sometimes written as 2 words, *in asmuch*, and now (especially since 17th cent.) as one.
- >
- >I. In phrase **inasmuch AS**.
- >[=] In so far as, [...], in proportion as,
- >
- >[...]
- >
- >†3. **in as much** (Notice the absence of *as*)
- = [4.] In an equal or like `degree`, likewise.
- 1. What exactly does each Functional Morpheme ([in](http://www.oed.com/search?searchType=dictionary&q=in&_searchBtn=Search),
- [as](http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/11307?rskey=bFp1yM&result=6&isAdvanced=false#eid), [much](http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/123133?rskey=mtgwpV&result=1&isAdvanced=false#eid)) mean here? Please specify which definition from each Functional Morpheme's _OED_ webpage applies.
- 2. How did these 3 Functional Morphemes compound to mean definition 4 above? I'm befuddled, because 3 contains no word that means `degree` in definition 4. So whence did the semantic notion of `degree` stem?
- 3. To wit, what semantic notions underlie _in_, _as_, _much_ with 'in an equal or like degree'?
- I quote the [_OED_](http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/93176#eid755936) 's etymology for_ inasmuch_ {adverb}.
- >originally 3 words *in as much* (in northern Middle English *in als mikel*), subsequently sometimes written as 2 words, *in asmuch*, and now (especially since 17th cent.) as one.
- >
- >I. In phrase **inasmuch AS**.
- >[=] In so far as, [...], in proportion as,
- >
- >[...]
- >
- >†3. **in as much** (Notice the absence of *as*)
- = [4.] In an equal or like `degree`, likewise.
- 1. What exactly does each Functional Morpheme ([in](http://www.oed.com/search?searchType=dictionary&q=in&_searchBtn=Search),
- [as](http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/11307?rskey=bFp1yM&result=6&isAdvanced=false#eid), [much](http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/123133?rskey=mtgwpV&result=1&isAdvanced=false#eid)) mean here? Please specify which definition from each Functional Morpheme's _OED_ webpage applies.
- 2. How did these 3 Functional Morphemes compound to mean definition 4 above? I'm befuddled, because 3 contains no word that means `degree` in definition 4. So whence did the semantic notion of `degree` stem?
- 3. To wit, what semantic notions underlie _in_, _as_, _much_ with 'in an equal or like degree'?
#1: Initial revision
by
PSTH
·
2022-03-05T18:51:41Z (almost 3 years ago)
How did 'in' + 'as' + 'much' compound to mean "in an equal or like degree"?
I quote the [_OED_](http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/93176#eid755936) 's etymology for_ inasmuch _{adverb}.
>originally 3 words *in as much* (in northern Middle English *in als mikel*), subsequently sometimes written as 2 words, *in asmuch*, and now (especially since 17th cent.) as one.
>
>I. In phrase **inasmuch AS**.
>[=] In so far as, [...], in proportion as,
>
>[...]
>
>†3. **in as much** (Notice the absence of *as*)
= [4.] In an equal or like `degree`, likewise.
1. What exactly does each Functional Morpheme ([in](http://www.oed.com/search?searchType=dictionary&q=in&_searchBtn=Search),
[as](http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/11307?rskey=bFp1yM&result=6&isAdvanced=false#eid), [much](http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/123133?rskey=mtgwpV&result=1&isAdvanced=false#eid)) mean here? Please specify which definition from each Functional Morpheme's _OED_ webpage applies.
2. How did these 3 Functional Morphemes compound to mean definition 4 above? I'm befuddled, because 3 contains no word that means `degree` in definition 4. So whence did the semantic notion of `degree` stem?
3. To wit, what semantic notions underlie _in_, _as_, _much_ with 'in an equal or like degree'?