Why does 「でも」make question words mean 'any'?


いつ、どう、どれ、どこ、だれ、なに、etc. are all question words.

However, いつでも、どうでも、どれでも、どこでも、だれでも、なんでも、etc, all mean 'Any ___'.

What's making this happen? Is it just a special exception that evolved over
time, or is there some reason for this considerable shift in meaning?

I ask as while I'm still not 100% when it comes to the particles で、も、and でも, I
still don't get what's going on here.




I'm sure that someone can give a more specific etymological answer but も as a
particle is appended to the て form of です, sort of like 何をしても, so it _isn't_
two particles で and も. You're dealing with ~ても in this case.

Basically 何でも means "no matter what," which has the same functional meaning as
"anything" in a lot sentences

> 中華なら何でもいい
>
> (if it's Chinese food, no matter what it is, I'll eat it / **anything** is
> fine)

いつでも、no matter when <--> anytime

どうでも, no matter how <--> anyhow

You get the picture.




I'm sure that someone can give a more specific etymological answer but も as a
particle is appended to the て form of です, sort of like 何をしても, so it _isn't_
two particles で and も. You're dealing with ~ても in this case.

Basically 何でも means "no matter what," which has the same functional meaning as
"anything" in a lot sentences

> 中華なら何でもいい
>
> (if it's Chinese food, no matter what it is, I'll eat it / **anything** is
> fine)

いつでも、no matter when <--> anytime

どうでも, no matter how <--> anyhow

You get the picture.

