Whereupon is a word that is spelled as it sounds. To pronounce it correctly, it is important to understand its phonetic transcription, which is ‘wɛrəˈpɑn’. The first syllable ‘wɛr’ rhymes with ‘fur, whereas the second syllable ‘əˈpɑn’ sounds like ‘uh-pon’. This word means ‘immediately after which’ and is often used to describe a sequence of events. While its spelling may look intimidating, once you understand its pronunciation, you'll be able to use it with ease.
Whereupon is a conjunction that is often used to denote a cause-and-effect relationship between two events or actions. It can also indicate a point in time or a subsequent action that occurs immediately after something else has taken place.
In its most common usage, whereupon serves to introduce a consequence, result, or reaction that is directly caused by a preceding event or action. It emphasizes the correlation between the two events, implying that the second event occurs as a direct response or consequence of the first. For example, "He insulted her, whereupon she stormed out of the room," suggests that the woman's reaction to the insult was to immediately leave the room.
Additionally, whereupon can be used to indicate a subsequent action or event that follows immediately from a previous one. It suggests that the second action is triggered or initiated by the first action. For instance, "He received the job offer, whereupon he accepted it without hesitation," implies that the act of receiving the job offer prompted the person to immediately accept it.
Whereupon can also be employed to indicate a specific point in a sequence or passage of time. For example, "The first day of school arrived, whereupon the students were filled with excitement and anticipation," signifies that the students' emotions of excitement and anticipation arose as soon as the first day of school began.
Overall, whereupon is a versatile conjunction that implies a direct cause-and-effect relationship or a subsequent action that occurs immediately after a preceding event.
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Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
The word "whereupon" is derived from two separate words: "where" and "upon".
1. "Where": In the context of "whereupon", "where" is a conjunction derived from Old English "hware" or "hwær", meaning "in or at what place" or "whither". This Old English term shares similar origins with other Germanic languages, including German "wo" and Dutch "waar".
2. "Upon": "Upon" is a preposition that originates from Middle English "uppon" or "uponne". It developed from the combination of the Old English prepositions "upp" (meaning "up") and "on" (meaning "on" or "onward"). "Upon" has close ties with the German "upon" and the Dutch "op".
The two words were eventually combined, resulting in the word "whereupon".