CHAPTER XXXV.
ON WHEN, THEN, AND THAN.
[§ 388]. The Anglo-Saxon adverbs are whenne and þenne = when, then.
The masculine accusative cases of the relative and demonstrative pronoun are hwæne (hwone) and þæne (þone).
Notwithstanding the difference, the first form is a variety of the second; so that the adverbs when and then are really pronominal in origin.
[§ 389]. As to the word than, the conjunction of comparison, it is another form of then; the notions of order, sequence, and comparison being allied.
This is good; then (or next in order) that is good, is an expression sufficiently similar to this is better than that to have given rise to it; and in Scotch and certain provincial dialects we actually find than instead of then.