To these are opposed neither, nor, as, “Give me neither poverty nor riches;” i.e. “Give me not one of the two, poverty—nor, i.e. not the other, riches.”
According to Mr. Tooke, the conjunction if is the imperative of the Anglo-Saxon and Gothic verb gifan, “to give.” Among others, he quotes the following example. “How will the weather dispose of you to-morrow? If fair, it will send me abroad; if foul, it will keep me at home”—i.e. “Give,” or “grant it to be fair;” “give,” or “grant it to be foul.”
Though is the same as thaf, an imperative from thafan, to allow, and is in some parts of the country pronounced thof; as, “Though he should speak truth, I would not believe him;” i.e. “allow or grant, what? he should speak truth,” or “allow his speaking truth, I would not believe him.”
But, from beutan, the imperative of beon utan, to be out, is the same as without or unless, there being no difference between these in respect to meaning. Grammarians, however, in conformity to the distinction between nisi and sine, have called but a conjunction, and without a preposition. But, therefore, being a word signifying exception or exclusion, I have not termed it an “adversative,” as most grammarians have, but an “exceptive.” In this sense it is synonymous with præter, præterquam, or nisi; thus, “I saw nobody but John,” i.e. “unless,” or “except John.”
But, from bot, the imperative of botan, to boot or superadd, has a very different meaning. This word was originally written bot, and was thus distinguished from but[115]. They are now written alike, which tends to create confusion. The meaning of this word is, “add,” or, “moreover.” This interpretation is confirmed by the probable derivation and meaning of synonymous words in other languages. Thus, the French mais (but) is from majus, or magis, “more,” or “in addition;” the Italian ma, the Spanish mas, and the Dutch maar, are from the same etymon, signifying “more.” And it is not improbable, that adsit (be it present, or be it added) by contraction became ast and at: thus, adsit, adst, ast, at. In this sense but is synonymous with at, autem, cæterum, “moreover,” or “in addition.”
It is justly observed by Mr. Tooke, that bot or but allays or mitigates a good or bad precedent, by the addition of something; for botan means “to superadd,” “to supply,” “to atone for,” “to compensate,” “to add something more,” “to make amends,” or “make up deficiency.” Thus,
“Once did I lay an ambush for your life,
A trespass, that doth vex my grieved soul:
But (bot), ere I last received the sacrament,