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Albeit
Is the word "albeit" correctly used in the following sentence? :
I haven't taken active holidays for ages. Albeit I used to do it quite often as a child.
2016年12月14日 06:36
回答 · 5
2
No; "albeit" doesn't begin a sentence. Your sentence should read, "Although I used to do so..."
Keep in mind that the word is a condensed phrase: "although it be".
2016年12月14日
1
OED usage examples:
2004 JazzTimes Apr. 115/1 ‘Bridges’ is a..delight..albeit one has to be ready for the jazzified force of drummer and percussionist Jamey Haddad.
1995 Animals' Voice Spring 13/1 Young skunks begin to spray, albeit inaccurately, at about one month of age.
The most basic dictionaries state this:
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/albeit
albeit
conjunction UK /ɔːlˈbiː.ɪt/ US /ɑːlˈbiː.ɪt/ formal
C2 although:
The evening was very pleasant, albeit a little quiet.
He tried, albeit without success.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/albeit
Definition of albeit
: conceding the fact that : even though : although
Origin and Etymology of albeit
Middle English, literally, all though it be
As created during the Depression by a promoter named Leo Seltzer, roller derby was the first sport in which men and women competed on the same team, albeit on a separate-but-equal basis, alternating periods on the track. —Frank Deford, New York Times Magazine, 4 Jan. 1998
… customers seemed generally cheery, albeit some were more cautious than others … —Cynthia Clark, Publishers Weekly, 26 Jan. 1998
But suppose the life were in many ways a mess, albeit a fascinating, courageous, picturesque and emotionally intense mess … —Diane Ackerman, New York Times Book Review, 23 Aug. 1987
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/albeit?s=t
conjunction
although; even if:
a peaceful, albeit brief retirement.
It struck me that Charles has, albeit unwittingly, accelerated the tendency for the bad to drive out the good.
Regards,
Peter
2016年12月21日
1
I enjoyed the questions and answers!
Just a small comment. According to the OED, albeit does not mean "although it be" -- it means although. The etymology is "although it be" albeit the meaning is "although":
Etymology: < all conj. + be , present subjunctive of be v. + it pron.
1. Introducing a finite clause: though it is true that; even though; although.
Origin: Formed within English, by compounding. Etymons: all conj., be v., it pron.
Etymology: < all conj. + be , present subjunctive of be v. + it pron.
... (Show More)
1. Introducing a finite clause: though it is true that; even though; although.
http://www.oed.com.ezproxy.neu.edu/view/Entry/4594?redirectedFrom=albeit#eid
2016年12月21日
1
No, I don't think so.
As mentioned, "albeit" is not the same as "although". It is "although it be" - it includes the subject+verb after "although". Because of this, it can only further qualify (lessen) the idea already mentioned, without repeating the verb part.
So I don't think your example can be said with "albeit - it's saying two related things, not further qualifying the same thing.
A different example I can think of is:
- I finally managed to take holidays, albeit just for one short week.
== I finally managed to take holidays, although it was just for one short week. ("although it was" = "albeit")
2016年12月14日
1
Yes, albeit is a subordinate conjunction, so this is a sentence fragment:
Albeit I used to do it quite often as a child.
You could also solve the problem like this:
I haven't taken active holidays for ages albeit I used to do it quite often as a child.
That's the grammar solution.
But stylistically, it's rare to hear this; it sounds excessively formal. I would go with although.
2016年12月14日
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