Is it correct ?

By Deep_Level_Shark
in General Discussion

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Grand Master

+Nik Louch Subscriber²

Posted
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They have the exact same usage.
The -st doesn't add anything to the context

100% wrong!

Whilst is used to describe verbs in their current form: Whilst working, Nik likes to drink water. That is 100% correct.

While is to be used in future/past versions: While Nik was working, he prefered to drink water. That is 100% correct.

Basically, the difference is tense. I will not say that the use of Whilst has been demoted and people use While - but it is technically incorrect, and arguing that they are the same is wrong.

Grand Master

threetonesun

Posted
Posted

100% wrong!

Whilst is used to describe verbs in their current form: Whilst working, Nik likes to drink water. That is 100% correct.

While is to be used in future/past versions: While Nik was working, he prefered to drink water. That is 100% correct.

Basically, the difference is tense. I will not say that the use of Whilst has been demoted and people use While - but it is technically incorrect, and arguing that they are the same is wrong.

No. "Nik likes to drink water while working."

There is nothing wrong with that sentence, and numerous style guides agree with me. Don't confuse people with these nonsense grammatical rules.

Grand Master

+Nik Louch Subscriber²

Posted
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Posted

Nik likes to drink water while working

Is a completely different way of writing the phrase, placing the onus elsewhere. And I agree, there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. That does not mean that it is the ONLY correct way of writing the sentence. Your style guides may 100% agree with what you just wrote, but other ways exist.

One such other way is to put the onus on the drinking verb, and in the present tense, WHILST should be used.

Do not write off correct English as "nonsense".

Grand Master

threetonesun

Posted
Posted

"While working, Nik likes to drink water." is the same as "Nik likes to drink water while working." is the same as "Whilst working, Nik likes to drink water" is the same as "Nik likes to drink water whilst working."

If you want it the other way around, you say "Nik likes to work while drinking water".

Find me one dictionary or reference book that states that whilst is used differently than while and I'll believe you.

Grand Master

+Nik Louch Subscriber²

Posted
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Posted

"While working, Nik likes to drink water."

Is technically wrong. The correct word to have used there is Whilst. But it's use has declined and While seems to have become more commonly used. That makes it "accepted" but doesn't make it "correct English".

A dictionary will not suggest this difference, as their definitions do not go deep enough into word usage. Moreover, ROFL is in the OED, and I respect it less as each day goes past. Also, I don't really care what you believe - I will simply continue to state the case that While and Whilst are NOT the same, as you seem intent on stating (without credit).

Grand Master

Anibal P

Posted
Posted

Define: whilst

If you don't trust the OED, pick any dictionary you like.

Also, the Guardian and Observer disagree with you. Whole world must be going mad.

He's just trying to preserver the "purity" of The Queen's English" failing to realize that generally speaking even in the UK no one really speaks it anymore

Grand Master

+Nik Louch Subscriber²

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You do understand that a style guide is a set of recommendations for writers to use? It is not a rule on what a word means?

Such as when I worked in a newspaper their style guide outlined the word "Ethnic" as a negative term to not be used. It is in no way valid as a definition.

They are preference and opinion based. There are plenty of online opinions I can find that could arguably substantiate the tense argument I make.

While both words are interchangable and correct, the -st ending is primiarly used to distiguish action taking place in the present
'Whilst' is an adverbial genitive. This means it is used to describe verbs.
whilst is less frequent than while. [...] the former is used more in a non-temporal way

etc

Again, I will state, I care little for whether you believe me or not. I simply will not leave a claim of the two words unchallenged.

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