23.  THAN, which introduces the latter term of a comparison, is from the Gothic than, or the Anglo-Saxon thanne, which was used for the same purpose. 24.  THAT, when called a conjunction, is said by Tooke to be etymologically the same as the adjective or pronoun THAT, the derivation of which is twice spoken of above; but, in Todd’s Johnson’s Dictionary, as abridged by Chalmers, THAT, the conjunction, is referred to “thatei, Gothic;” THAT, the pronoun, to “that, thata, Gothic; thaet, Saxon; dat, Dutch.”

25.  THEN, used as a conjunction, is doubtless the same word as the Anglo-Saxon Thenne, taken as an illative, or word of inference.

26.  “THOUGH, allow, is [from] the imperative Thaf, or Thafig, of the verb Thafian or Thafigan, to allow.”—­Tooke’s Diversions, Vol. i, pp. 111 and 150.

27.  “UNLESS, except, dismiss, is [from] Onles, the imperative of Onlesan, to dismiss.”—­Ib.

28.  WHETHER, a corresponsive conjunction, which introduces the first term of an alternative, is from the Anglo-Saxon hwaether, which was used for the same purpose.

29.  YET, nevertheless, is from “Get, the imperative of Getan, to get.”—­Tooke.

SECTION IX.—­DERIVATION OF PREPOSITIONS.

The following are the principal English Prepositions, explained in the order of the list:—­

1.  ABOARD, meaning on board of, is from the prefix or preposition a and the noun board, which here means “the deck of a ship” or vessel. Abord, in French, is approach, arrival, or a landing.

2.  ABOUT, [Sax.  Abutan, or Abuton,] meaning around, at circuit, or doing, is from the prefix a, meaning at, and the noun bout, meaning a turn, a circuit, or a trial.  In French, bout means end; and about, end, or but-end.

3.  ABOVE, [Sax.  Abufan, Abufon, A-be-ufan.] meaning over, or, literally, at-by-over, or at-by-top, is from the Saxon or Old English a, be, and ufa, or ufan, said to mean “high, upwards, or the top.”

4.  ACROSS, at cross, athwart, traverse, is from the prefix a and the word cross.

5.  AFTER, [Sax.  AEfter, or AEftan,] meaning behind, subsequent to, is, in form, the comparative of aft, a word common to seamen, and it may have been thence derived.

6.  AGAINST, opposite to, is probably from the Anglo-Saxon, Ongean, or Ongegen, each of which forms means again or against.  As prefixes, on and a are often equivalent.

7.  ALONG, [i.e., at-long,] meaning lengthwise of, near to, is formed from a and long.