old english - Has there been an interrogative word to ask for a quantity or amount?


English uses how much/many to ask for an amount or a quantity. Has there been an interrogative word in Old, Middle, or Modern English to convey the meaning of how much/many (i.e., an equivalent to the Spanish cuánto or the French combien)?



Answer



I'm no expert, but I think the Old English word hwæt had a broad range of meaning and applicability, which did actually include how much.


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