Pronominal adverb
Encyclopedia
A pronominal adverb is a type of adverb
occurring in a number of Germanic languages
, formed in replacement of a preposition and a pronoun
by turning the latter into a locative adverb
and the former into a prepositional adverb
and joining them in reverse order.
For example:
, pronominal adverbs are most commonly encountered in literary registers or in legal usage
. They are used frequently by lawyer
s and drafters of legal documents
primarily as a way of avoiding the repetition of names of things in the document (or sometimes as a self-reference
to the document itself). For this reason, pronominal adverbs are often seen as a type of legal jargon
.
, pronominal adverbs are very common and are almost mandatory in many situations; neglecting to use them often makes a phrase sound unnatural to native speakers. Dutch maintains a three-way distinction of reference in its demonstrative pronouns, with pronouns for things close by and far away, and a third pronoun that is unspecific for distance. This distinction is faithfully reflected in the use of pronominal adverbs, and other pronouns also often have a corresponding adverbial form.
Adverb
An adverb is a part of speech that modifies verbs or any part of speech other than a noun . Adverbs can modify verbs, adjectives , clauses, sentences, and other adverbs....
occurring in a number of Germanic languages
Germanic languages
The Germanic languages constitute a sub-branch of the Indo-European language family. The common ancestor of all of the languages in this branch is called Proto-Germanic , which was spoken in approximately the mid-1st millennium BC in Iron Age northern Europe...
, formed in replacement of a preposition and a pronoun
Pronoun
In linguistics and grammar, a pronoun is a pro-form that substitutes for a noun , such as, in English, the words it and he...
by turning the latter into a locative adverb
Locative adverb
A locative adverb is a type of adverb that refers to a location, or to a combination of a location and a relation to that location. Generally, a locative adverb is semantically equivalent to a prepositional phrase involving a locative or directional preposition...
and the former into a prepositional adverb
Prepositional adverb
A prepositional adverb is a word - mainly a particle - which is very similar in its form to a preposition but functions as an adverb. Prepositional adverbs occur mainly in English, German and Dutch. Unlike real prepositions, they occur mainly at the end of a phrase and not before nouns...
and joining them in reverse order.
For example:
- For that → therefor
- In that → therein
- By this → hereby
- To this → hereto
- In which → wherein
Usage in English
In EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, pronominal adverbs are most commonly encountered in literary registers or in legal usage
Legal English
Legal English is the style of English used by lawyers and other legal professionals in the course of their work. It has particular relevance when applied to legal writing and the drafting of written material, including:...
. They are used frequently by lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
s and drafters of legal documents
Legal writing
Legal writing is a type of technical writing used by lawyers, judges, legislators, and others in law to express legal analysis and legal rights and duties.- Authority :...
primarily as a way of avoiding the repetition of names of things in the document (or sometimes as a self-reference
Self-reference
Self-reference occurs in natural or formal languages when a sentence or formula refers to itself. The reference may be expressed either directly—through some intermediate sentence or formula—or by means of some encoding...
to the document itself). For this reason, pronominal adverbs are often seen as a type of legal jargon
Jargon
Jargon is terminology which is especially defined in relationship to a specific activity, profession, group, or event. The philosophe Condillac observed in 1782 that "Every science requires a special language because every science has its own ideas." As a rationalist member of the Enlightenment he...
.
Usage in Dutch
In DutchDutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
, pronominal adverbs are very common and are almost mandatory in many situations; neglecting to use them often makes a phrase sound unnatural to native speakers. Dutch maintains a three-way distinction of reference in its demonstrative pronouns, with pronouns for things close by and far away, and a third pronoun that is unspecific for distance. This distinction is faithfully reflected in the use of pronominal adverbs, and other pronouns also often have a corresponding adverbial form.
| Pronoun | Pronoun + "met" | Meaning | Adverb | Adverb + "met" | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| dat | met dat | with that | daar | daarmee | therewith |
| dit | met dit | with this | hier | hiermee | herewith |
| het | met het (very rare) | with it | er | ermee | therewith (unspecific) |
| wat | met wat | with what | waar | waarmee | wherewith |
| alles | met alles | with everything | overal | overal mee | everywhere with |
| iets | met iets | with something | ergens | ergens mee | somewhere with |
| niets | met niets | with nothing | nergens | nergens mee | nowhere with |