來自古英語 thanne,在此之后,然后,來自 Proto-Germanic*thana,那個(gè),來自 PIE*to,指示代詞, 詞源同 this,that.其與拼寫變體形式 than 現(xiàn)已產(chǎn)生詞義和用法上的差別。
英文詞源
then
then: [OE] Then was formed from the ancient demonstrative base *ta-, which also underlies English that and there. Its West Germanic relatives include German dann and Dutch dan. It is ultimately the same word as than. => than, the, there
then (adv.)
adverb of time, Old English tanne, t?nne, tonne, from Proto-Germanic *thana- (cognates: Old Frisian thenne, Old Saxon thanna, Dutch dan, Old High German danne, German dann), from PIE demonstrative pronoun root *to- (see the).
As a conjunction, "in that case, therefore," in Old English. As an adjective, "being at that time," from 1580s. As a noun from early 14c. For further sense development, see than. Similar evolutions in other Germanic languages; Dutch uses dan in both senses, but German has dann (adv.) "then," denn (conj.) "than." Now and then "at various times" is attested from 1550s; earlier then and then (c. 1200).
雙語例句
1. You have to do everything you can. You have to work your hardest. And if you do, if you stay positive, then you have a shot at a silver lining.