A Handbook of the English Language

by R. G. Latham

This habit gives us three correlative adverbs—one of position, and two of direction.

[§ 382]. It is also a common practice of language to depart from the original expression of each particular idea, and to interchange the signs by which they are expressed; so that a word originally expressive of simple position or rest in a place may be used instead of the word expressive of direction, or motion between two places. Hence we say, come here, when come hither would be the more correct expression.

[§ 383]. The full amount of change in this respect may be seen from the following table, illustrative of the forms here, hither, hence.

Mœso-Gothic	þar, þaþ, þaþro, hêr, hiþ, hidrô,	there, thither, thence. here, hither, hence.
Old High German	huâr, huara, huanana, dâr, dara, danana, hear, hêra, hinana,	where, whither, whence. there, thither, thence. here, hither, hence.
Old Saxon	huar, huar, huanan, thar, thar, thanan, hêr, hër, hënan,	where, whither, whence. there, thither, thence. here, hither, hence.
Anglo-Saxon	þar, þider, þonan, hvar, hvider, hvonan, hêr, hider, hënan,	there, thither, thence. where, whither, whence. here, hither, hence.
Old Norse	þar, þaðra, þaðan, hvar, hvert, hvaðan, hêr, hëðra, hëðan,	there, thither, thence. where, whither, whence. here, hither, hence.
Middle High German	dâ, dan, dannen, wâ, war, wannen, hie, hër, hennen,	there, thither, thence. where, whither, whence. here, hither, hence.
Modern High German	da, dar, dannen, wo, wohin, wannen, hier, her, hinnen,	there, thither, thence. where, whither, whence. here, hither, hence.

[§ 384]. Local terminations of this kind, in general, were commoner in the earlier stages of language than at present. The following are from the Mœso-Gothic:—

Innaþrô	= from within.
Utaþrô	= from without.
Iuþaþrô	= from above.
Fáirraþrô	= from afar.
Allaþrô	= from all quarters.

[§ 385]. The -ce ( = es) in hen-ce, when-ce, then-ce, has yet to be satisfactorily explained. The Old English is whenn-es, thenn-es. As far, therefore, as the spelling is concerned, they are in the same predicament with the word once, which is properly on-es, the genitive of one. This origin is probable, but not certain.

[§ 386]. Yonder.—In the Mœso-Gothic we have the following forms: jáinar, jáina, jánþrô = illic, illuc, illinc. They do not, however, quite explain the form yon-d-er. It is not clear whether the d = the -d in jâind, or the þ in jainþro.

[§ 387]. Anon, is used by Shakspeare, in the sense of presently.—The probable history of this word is as follows: the first syllable contains a root akin to the root yon, signifying distance in place. The second is a shortened form of the Old High German and Middle High German, -nt, a termination expressive, 1, of removal in space; 2, of removal in time; Old High German, ënont, ënnont; Middle High German, ënentlig, jenunt = beyond.