Remember that time I said English wasn’t one of those languages with a different word for every specific thing? And then remember the times I’ve pointed out that there really aren’t any rules governing English? Good, because even though English uses noun phrases instead of minting new words…it also works exactly the opposite.
English speakers form new words out of sets of existing words by using contractions, but also by just glomming words together. I try to be concise, but notwithstanding the length limitations of this channel, we will forthwith address some of these compound words hereinunder (“hereinunder” is a legitimate word, albeit obscure).
There are double compounds (herein, thereby), and triple compounds (albeit, heretofore, nonetheless, plainclothesman). Compounding has been going on as long as English has existed. “Inasmuch” appeared sometime before 1300, and like many compounds was simply a representation of a phrase that was already in common use — “in as much” in this case.
Nowadays — and possibly earlier, but you’d have to know a whole lot more about ancient contexts and usage to be sure — you can often write more clearly and directly by using simpler, non-compound words in place of compounds. There are a number of compound words involving the word “here” and “there,” for example: herein, heretofore, hereinunder, thereabout, and so on. In most cases “here” is a better choice. Unless, of course, what you’re writing is a legal document, wherein using compound words seems to be a practice that underscores your decision to go to law school instead of joining that rock band.
Even if you can’t substitute a singular word for a compound, sometimes a simpler compound is available. “Whatsoever,” for example, means the same thing as “whatever.” The “so” is actually from an earlier, obsolete compound word: “whatso.” It also meant the same as “whatever.” Although “whatso” looks pretty awkward nowadays, nevertheless in context it isn’t too bad; here’s a bit from a 19th-century poem that uses it:
“Despatchs, sermons, — whatso goes
Into their brain comes out as prose.”
Some compounds have existed as words for centuries, but their meanings have changed. “Wherewithal” dates to 1535 and today means “having the necessary means,” as in “they didn’t have the wherewithal to pay the bill.” But originally “wherewithal” meant “in addition” or “also.”
Some other compounds have existed in a number of forms over the years. “Nonetheless” comes from the 1530s, and back in those days was synonymous with “natheless,” “netheless,” “noutheless,” and noughtheless” (those last two may just be alternate spellings of the same word). “Nevertheless” means the same thing, by the way, and used to have an opposite: “neverthemore.” That one disappeared somewhere between the 1300s and today.
Notwithstanding the existence of single-word synonyms for virtually all compounds — and the availability of noun phrases to use in place of the rest — the abovementioned compound words are still in use, although many of them sound to us a bit stilted and overly formal. But others we don’t even really notice, not even somewhat.
