Here are a few grammatical words that use 然 according to jisho.org:
- 然し（しかし）
- however; but
- 然して（そして）
- and; and then; thus; and now; and finally
- 然うして（そうして）
- and; like that
- 然も（しかも）
- (1) moreover; furthermore
- (2) nevertheless; and yet
- 然も（さも）
- (1) really; extremely
- (2) in that way (Archaism)
- 然う（そう）
- (1) in that way; thus; such
- (2) so (agreement)
- (3) so? (doubt)
- 然るべき（しかるべき）
- proper; appropriate; due; suitable
According to jisho.org, the meanings of 然 are:
sort of thing, so, if so, in that case, well
The relationship between all these different words and 然 is vague and hard to understand. Can you offer a logical analysis of why/how 然 is used in such expressions?
Answer
How I see it, 然 has the same meaning in all cases, but with the different words and particles added after, it get different nuances. Below are my thoughts about it, but this is in no way a "scientific" explanation. Feel free to comment...
然 has the meaning of そう、その通り, "so"/"like this"/"like that"
然して is a contraction of 然うして, which is why they have very similar meanings today, although slight different nuances (然うして is more like "Like this the result is", whereas 然して is more of a continuation "and then", but they are often interchangeable)
然し is a contraction of 然しながら. This 然{しか} still has the meaning of "so"/"like this", whereas the ながら (in this case) is a contrastive conjunction like けれども. It thus means, "like this, but ..." or simply put, "however".
然{しか}も and 然{さ}も combine the word with the particle も, and means something like "like this, and also ...", or simply, "furthermore"/その上.
然るべき adds べき to the word, adding the meaning of "should", so, "should like this", or simply, "appropriate".
For etymological research, I find this resource quite good: https://kobun.weblio.jp
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