Now here is an interesting word. The Language Log has a few examples of its usage and a couple of theories as to how it came about. The first is that the archaic word howsomever, which was an alternate form for however, changed through metathesis to howmsoever. I’m more inclined to the theory that it is derived by analogy from whomsoever/whosoever. I can imagine a scenario where someone wants to drag out however to make what is about to be said more significant (or some such scenario). It seems like howmsoever would fill that need nicely. But who knows..
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