Whanne

Whanne is a historical form of the English word when, used as a temporal adverb or conjunction. It appears primarily in Middle English texts, where it introduces clauses related to time. The form is typically found with the spelling whanne or the variant hwanne in older manuscripts.

Whanne etymology and history: Whanne derives from Old English hwanne, from Proto-Germanic *hwan, and is part of the same linguistic lineage as the modern "when." It is attested from the 12th century onward and is commonly encountered in medieval literature. During the transition to Early Modern English, whanne largely fell out of everyday use, surviving mainly in literary, religious, and text-critical contexts.

Usage and examples: Whanne functions as a temporal conjunction, introducing subordinate clauses that specify the time of an action. In Chaucer and other poets, it often appears in phrases such as "Whanne that Aprille with his shoures soote," illustrating its use alongside the particle that in certain archaic syntaxes. The form can occur at the start of a clause and, in older syntax, with a following "that."

Modern status: Today, whanne is considered archaic and is rarely used outside academic contexts, glossaries, or studies of medieval language. It remains of interest to students of Middle English and to readers seeking to understand historical texts, where it preserves the original cadence and syntax of the period.

See also: when; Middle English; Chaucer; Old English.