ALBEIT (again)

[Dr. Goodword]

• albeit •

Pronunciation: awl-bee-it • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Conjunction

Meaning: Although, but (emphatically), even though, though on the other hand.

Notes: Today’s Good Word is one of the most strikingly curious words in the world: a conjunction that seems to agree in number. Albeit is a singular conjunction, a concept that does not even make sense to linguists. Conjunctions do not agree: there is only one form of and, but, if, or. Albeit, however, has a plural which is used fairly widely today: albethey.

In Play: Today's Good albeit most peculiar Word conjoins a word or clause that markedly contrasts with the preceding word or clause: "Maude Lynn Dresser came in a colorful, albeit garish, spring frock." However, if the subject of the clause that albeit would introduce is plural, albeit might/should be replaced by albethey: "Maude's sisters, albethey the progeny of the same parents, always show impeccable taste in clothing."

Word History: The fact that this 'conjunction' changes its grammatical number raises the question of whether it has completely been transformed into a conjunction. It shows that at least some speakers still feel that it is a phrase, "all be it". We might just nod our heads at this point and go about our business, except for the fact that neither phrase makes any sense, neither "all be it" nor "all be they"—evidence that it has become a conjunction. Another possibility is that the actual conjunction here is albe while it and they are perceived, at least by some English speakers, as independent pronouns. What do you think? (At this point I would like to offer this small albeit sincere note of gratitude to Jesse Koplowitz and our close albeit [albehim?] distant cyberfriend, Chris Stewart of South Africa, for suggesting today's Good Word.)

[Slava]

(At this point I would like to offer this small albeit sincere note of gratitude to Jesse Koplowitz and our close albeit [albehim?] distant cyberfriend, Chris Stewart of South Africa, for suggesting today's Good Word.)

This is what came to mind while reading today's word. Why can't albeit take all the forms? Essentially its meaning is:

despite the fact that (I, you, he/she/it, we, you, they) is/are "x". I don't speak Polish, albei the son of a first generation Pole, etc.

Let's get weird.

[Modi]

I don't think there is a problem with this use, since it follow the same structure of the original word (Awl-be-it, Awl-be-I).

Although it will be most certainly weird as a start but if it was used in an academic research for an example, it would be bound to be used but scholars and others academic, which may then be used by students and finally the public giving it a ticket to the dictionary. This is of course hypothetically.

[Stargzer]

... Word History: The fact that this 'conjunction' changes its grammatical number raises the question of whether it has completely been transformed into a conjunction. It shows that at least some speakers still feel that it is a phrase, "all be it". We might just nod our heads at this point and go about our business, except for the fact that neither phrase makes any sense, neither "all be it" nor "all be they"—evidence that it has become a conjunction. Another possibility is that the actual conjunction here is albe while it and they are perceived, at least by some English speakers, as independent pronouns. What do you think? ...

I think that albeit is not short for all be it but rather although be it, which means that albethey makes much more sense: although be they.

"Maude Lynn Dresser came in a colorful, although be it garish, spring frock."

"Maude's sisters, although be they the progeny of the same parents, always show impeccable taste in clothing."

I've think the modern phrasing would although it be and although they be, with the reversal of the final two words being an older pattern of speech, much like the Giant in the fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalk.

Fee, Fi, Fo, Fum!
I smell the blood of an Englishman!
Be he live or be he dead,
I'll grind his bones to make my bread!

But then, what do I know?