[Is BEFORE a preposition, an adverb, or a conjunction? Searching for an answer in diachrony]

Abstract

The paper traces the development of the preposition, the adverb, and the conjunction BEFORE. It proves that BEFORE was formed as a preposition in early Old English. Its frequency subsequently decreased before resuming its development in the late 19th century. The adverb BEFORE was transposed from the preposition and institutionalized in Old English; it experienced constant growth up to late Middle English, when the category suffered decay. The conjunction BEFORE was transposed from the preposition in early Middle English and was characterized by prolonged institutionalization, which ended in early Modern English when the catego-ry started evolving.