Whence

Why not say 'Where did it come from'? Whence is a bit archaic.

Interesting point thatbags.

Oxford Guide to English Usage says "whence meaning from where, does not need to be preceded by from.

I think it's the second one, although it does sound odd! The 'from' is just understood. Otherwise one would say 'from where'. I've got my dunce's hat at the ready

To avoid ending a sentence with a preposition anno. Do we still keep to that rule, by the way?

Auld lang's syne and for the sake of

Ah! I knew it was in a well known biblical reference somewhere.

Psalm 121! (I did have to look it up. I'm not Dot Cotton.)

" I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help."

It really is archaic. Far better, but rather less poetic would be to just use "from where", and please do tell me if that is wrong.
Cometh is even more archaic.

The musical setting I know, just says whence cometh.? Mendelssohn?

Just whence, which means "from where" - "from whence" would be tautology.

Mendelssohn Elijah 28 I believe.
Beautiful piece of music.

"From whence" is used by Swift and Dickens as well as the translators of the Psalms. Both of them, especially the former, would have been familiar with Psalm 121. It would be pretty unusual to use "whence", or "whither", now except for special effect.

Presumably Psalm 121 has been updated in modern translations, copies of which, I am pleased to say, I do not possess.

From the Oxford dictionary:

Definition of whence in English: interrogative adverb
From what place or source: whence does Parliament derive this power?
More example sentences

1From which; from where: the Ural mountains, whence the ore is procured
1.1To the place from which: he will be sent back whence he came
More example sentences
1.2As a consequence of which: whence it followed that the strategies were obsolete
More example sentences
Origin

Middle English whennes, from earlier whenne (from Old English hwanon, of Germanic origin) + -s3 (later respelled -ce to denote the unvoiced sound).
Usage

Strictly speaking, whence means ‘from what place’, as in whence did you come? Thus, the preposition from in from whence did you come? is redundant, and its use is considered incorrect by some. The use with from is very common, though, and has been used by reputable writers since the 14th century. It is now broadly accepted in standard English.

Thank you for doing all that research and remembering while I had a two hour nap! I've had two very busy days and they caught up with me.

I had a feeling about the tautology.

I like being archaic sometimes.

Thank you all again. Gransnet rocks!

^Whence is that goodly fragrance flowing,
Stealing our senses all away?^

I think that's a translation of a French carol I used to sing at school. I can't remember any more of it.

absent It's in the carol "Quelle est cette odeur agreable" (which we sing to the tune of "Drink to me only with thine eyes.") "No 66 in 100 Carols for Choirs" I knew I had sung it once.

It's useful having the book in my dining room cupboard I will put it back now until the Autumn.