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Whence

soroush.gh8

Senior Member
Persian-kurdish
Symmetrically, sometimes, an impatient distance with regard to the Jewish communities, whenever I have the impression that they are closing themselves off by posing themselves as such. Whence a feeling of non-belonging that I have no doubt transposed .. . (P: 121)

Source: The philosophy of Derrida by Mark Dooly.

I know the meaning of "whence" is "from where/ which ...", but I think this meaning here can't be right. This is what I have understood of this sentence: "Consequently this feeling that now I have" to belong to nowhere" without any doubt transformed ..."
Is my understanding correct?
Last edited:
WordReference said:
whence /hwษ›ns, wษ›ns/ adv.
  1. (used to introduce a question) from what place?:Whence comest thou?
  2. (used to introduce a question) from what source, origin, or cause?:Whence came his wisdom?
As you can see from our dictionary, whence can be used to introduce the source or cause, so effectively has the same meaning as ยซ consequently ยป
In effect it means "consequently," but "from where / from which" is not wrong. The idea is something like "From which arises a feeling..."
Yes, this is the use as a conjunction. Thus the OED
a1568โ€“
gen. and transferred. From which source or origin (as a product); from which cause (as a result); from which fact or circumstance (as an inference).
It links what is mentioned to a product, a result, or an inference.
Yes, this is the use as a conjunction. Thus the OED

It links what is mentioned to a product, a result, or an inference.
I think it is an adverb here and this "Whence a feeling of non-belonging that I have" is an adverbial clause.
The sentence does not appear to be a complete sentence: there is no main verb. But 'whence' and 'hence' are often used like this, even in quite formal writing; you could understand their meaning as "hence (therefore) there is".
The sentence does not appear to be a complete sentence: there is no main verb. But 'whence' and 'hence' are often used like this, even in quite formal writing; you could understand their meaning as "hence (therefore) there is".
Isn't " transposed" the main verb?
It's in a relative clause, attached to the noun 'feeling'. I have transposed a feeling:

Whence there is a of non-belonging / I have (no doubt) transposed.
I know the meaning of "whence" is "from where/ which ...", but I think this meaning here can't be right.
Yet it is! ๐Ÿ‘ Smile :)


There - at that place
Thither - to that place
Thence - from that place

Here - at this place
Hither -to this place
Hence - from this place

Where - at which place
Whither - to which place
Whence - from which place

"Place" can represent a point or area in
space (locative),
time (temporal), or
refer relatively, to an event, idea, or conclusion.
I don't, but apparently many do, use the phrase "from whence" : from the WRF entry ๐Ÿ‘ Smile :)


  • Although sometimes criticized as redundant, the idiom from whence is old, well-established, and standard:She arrived in Paris, from whence she bombarded us with postcards.It is found in Shakespeare, the King James Bible, and Dickens.
"from whence"
OED: Whence. "In all senses often preceded by redundant 'from'," [I can hear the despairing tone of the lexicographer.]
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