So
/soʊ/noun
Used to indicate degree, result, manner, or emphasis.
Did you know?English so descends from Proto-Indo-European demonstrative roots and has been doing grammatical “shape-shifting” for millennia, which is why it can point, compare, and intensify all at once.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*so
“this, that, the one here”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*sa / *sō / *þat
“that; the demonstrative pronoun”
Old English
English
swa
“so, in this way, thus”
Middle English
English
so
“in this manner; to such a degree”
Modern English
English
so
“in this way; therefore; to a great degree”