WHAT.

What is generally a compound relative, including both the antecedent and the relative, and is equivalent to that which; as, “This is what I wanted;” that is, that which, or, the thing which I wanted.

What is compounded of which that.  These words have been contracted and made to coalesce, a part of the orthography of both being still retained:  what—­wh[ich—­t]hat; (which-that.) Anciently it appeared in the varying forms, tha qua, qua tha, qu’tha, quthat, quhat, hwat, and finally, what.

What may be used as three kinds of a pronoun, and as an interjection.  When it is equivalent to that which, the thing which, or those things which, it is a compound relative, because it includes both the antecedent and the relative; as, “I will try what (that which) can be found in female delicacy; What you recollect with most pleasure, are the virtuous actions of your past life;” that is, those things which you recollect, &c.

When what is a compound relative, you must always parse it as two words; that is, you must parse the antecedent part as a noun, and give it a case; the relative part you may analyze like any other relative, giving it a case likewise.  In the first of the preceding examples, that, the antecedent part of what, is in the obj. case, governed by the verb “will try;” which, the relative part, is in the nom. case to “can be found.”  “I have heard what (i.e. that which, or the thing which) has been alleged.”

Whoever and whosoever are also compound relatives, and should be parsed like the compound what; as, “Whoever takes that oath, is bound to enforce the laws.”  In this sentence, whoever is equivalent to he who, or, the man who; thus, “He who takes that oath, is bound,” &c.

Who, which, and what, when used in asking questions, are called interrogative pronouns, or relatives of the interrogative kind; as, "Who is he? Which is the person? What are you doing?”

Interrogative pronouns have no antecedent; but they relate to the word or phrase which is the answer to the question, for their subsequent; as, “Whom did you see?  The preceptor.  What have you done? Nothing.”  Antecedent and subsequent are opposed to each other in signification.  Antecedent means preceding, or going before; and subsequent means following, or coming after. What, when used as an interrogative, is never compound.

What, which, and that, when joined to nouns, are specifying adjectives, or adjective pronouns, in which situation they have no case, but are parsed like adjective pronouns of the demonstrative or indefinite kind; as, “Unto which promise our twelve tribes hope to come;” “What misery the vicious endure! What havock hast thou made, foul monster, sin!”