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While vs. Whilst

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Michael
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Quote by LadyX
Entertainment for some, tiresome for others. Let's take this episode away from the forum, please. If there's more to this than passive aggressive sparring, please one of you let me know via PM. Thanks!


I bow to the Marvelous LadyX and adore the ever Delightful Shylass...

I do apologize to the other readers... My vision sometimes misses the arena I am in.





so I bury all..
MrNudiePants
Active Ink Slinger
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Quote by FtLMale


Entertainment...

The primary purpose of Lush...


Others are interested.....



Nah, not really. Wrong place, wrong time. Playground's that way, and Kindergarten was a helluva lot of years ago.
Buz
The Linebacker
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Quote by DirtyMartini


I would have to say "no" to this one...your comment about it being somewhat archaic I think is accurate...

I might consider using it in my next lesbian pirate story though...


I was kidnapped by lesbian pirates and strangely enough they used the word 'whilst. In fact they used that word whilst they demonstrated on me that they were not 100% lesbian, but only after they made me watch whilst they did enjoy some lesbian pleasures. I'm still traumatized!
Sensei
Active Ink Slinger
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Whilst strikes me as being either poetic or Shakespearean.

If not, why, in a moment look to see
The blind and bloody soldier with foul hand
Defile the locks of your shrill-shrieking daughters;
[...]
Whiles the mad mothers with their howls confused
Do break the clouds [...]!

Henry V, Act 3, Scene 3.


Ok, that's "whiles" instead of "whilst," but you know what I mean. smile
My novel, The Society, is available now in the Kindle Store: http://www.amazon.com/The-Society-ebook/dp/B00BPF9U2I
Michael
Author
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It would seem that Whilst is used within the UK... is it used in Australia or elsewhere?
I ask as I used it in the speech of a character from Australia that had been living in England for several years....
nicola
Matriarch
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Thx LadyX, for putting the thread back on track.
sprite
Her Royal Spriteness
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Quote by Buz


I was kidnapped by lesbian pirates and strangely enough they used the word 'whilst. In fact they used that word whilst they demonstrated on me that they were not 100% lesbian, but only after they made me watch whilst they did enjoy some lesbian pleasures. I'm still traumatized!


sorry about that. in my defense, we let him go after several weeks!

You can’t truly call yourself peaceful unless you are capable of violence. If you’re not capable of violence, you’re not peaceful. You’re harmless.
1ball
Active Ink Slinger
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I'm not a Brit and I defininitely notice when people use whilst or learnt or a number of other words that I think of as British. In my Trespasser series, I write from the POV of a Brit character who has lived in the US for a while and is trying to assimilate. That's a cheat so that I don't have to get the speech mannerisms perfect.
My latest story is too hot to publish. My most recent story before that is Even Stranger In Lust
clum
Clumeleon
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It seems no thread is safe in Lush. *sigh*
AngelHeart01
Active Ink Slinger
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I don't use the word 'whilst' in writing or in conversation.
I don't hear it being used in my circle of friends, on television, or with colleagues .
However, it doesn't bother me when reading it in a story. It makes sense, and I read on.
I automatically think to myself that the author must be from the UK (unless of course the story is taking place there ... then duh).
Then I start reading it (in my head) with an accent.

Yeah, I'm strange like that.
DLizze
Active Ink Slinger
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Quote by sprite


sorry about that. in my defense, we let him go after several weeks!

Sprite, you missed your chance: you could have combined this thread with another, had you said, "We let him go several weeks hence"

As to "whilst" and "amongst", while I don't often use either, who among us would not understand if we saw them in writing? (see what I did there?)

One of my writing professors once said, "The object of any writing is communication. So long as the thought is clearly conveyed and understood, any grammatic structure or word usage is acceptable. That is why English is a "living" language." He was speaking specifically about starting a sentence with a conjunction, or ending it with a preposition, but I think his statement is cogent, and bears repeating.
"There's only three tempos: slow, medium and fast. When you get between in the cracks, ain't nuthin' happenin'." Ben Webster
Guest
Lurker
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I personally think that these peculiarities in the english language are great. I don´t think the "whilst" is archaic - to me it should be considered like a "wild card" to use whenever you want your listener or reader to be caught a little off guard. Coming from a latin based language like portuguese, spanish, french - sometimes the english language can be a bit of a drag in its simple yet deranged complexity (if that made any sense at all).

I feel that these few interchangables are to be considered like diferent spices to be added (to taste) every once in while - thusly adding some diferent flavors to your everyday dish.

Also, it just shows your listeners or readers that you know and appreciate/respect the language in all its little details... and that is sexy!
Magical_felix
Wild at Heart
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Quote by FtLMale


I bow to the Marvelous LadyX and adore the ever Delightful Shylass...

I do apologize to the other readers... My vision sometimes misses the arena I am in.





so I bury all..


How weak... Hopefully the next time you grow some balls they don't shrink back up the second I reply to you.



Whilst. Yeah, where I am from it is not used in conversation.
sprite
Her Royal Spriteness
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Quote by Magical_felix


How weak... Hopefully the next time you grow some balls they don't shrink back up the second I reply to you.



Whilst. Yeah, where I am from it is not used in conversation.


i bet you use 'Hence' tho. And drink tea with your pinky sticking out. smile

You can’t truly call yourself peaceful unless you are capable of violence. If you’re not capable of violence, you’re not peaceful. You’re harmless.
DirtyMartini
Purveyor of Poetry & Porn
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Quote by Shylass
Whilst we're on the subject of entertainment, I'm not currently entertained, sadly.


Wait a while and whistle whilst this whiny, woeful while vs. whilst debate winds down...

Meanwhilst...back in the Lush forum...

You know you want it, you know you need it bad...get it now on Amazon.com...
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Magical_felix
Wild at Heart
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Quote by sprite


i bet you use 'Hence' tho. And drink tea with your pinky sticking out. smile


I do use hence. Mostly when typing to make a point. I just hate people who are impotent to give a valid reason for bugging me, hence my reply to this new pathetic fool that has been passive aggressive for a while now but as soon as he's confronted he changes his tune. So pathetic. Chicken shit.

I also don't give a fuck if everyone here thinks I'm the bad guy. If not pussy footing around people's passive aggression or shallow posturing makes me the bad guy? So be it.

And yeah, I stick my pinky out. I love tapping my pinky ring on my glass as I chill. It's purely for effect.
Shylass
Gingerbread Lover
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I just wrote a story with the word "whilst" in it.

It is a good and useful word.
Ut incepit fidelis, sic permanet.

 ***
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Guest
Lurker
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Quote by Shylass
I just wrote a story with the word "whilst" in it.

It is a good and useful word.


I concur
The_Young_Swell
Active Ink Slinger
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Quote by clum
... Do any of you non-Britons use the word 'whilst'...


I always use it whilst playing Whist.

I find it a good word for archaic voices or when being precious.
Always drink upstream from the herd and never miss a good chance to shut up..
Shylass
Gingerbread Lover
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Quote by The_Young_Swell


I always use it whilst playing Whist.

I find it a good word for archaic voices or when being precious.


Sadly for some, languages remain newer and with less depth, whilst others use certain words that have a not only a rich history and yet are normal, every day words. There are whole modern countries with contemporary languages where ancient words like that are used every day without being precious. It's amazing!
Ut incepit fidelis, sic permanet.

 ***
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adele
Weaver of Words
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Whilst reading this thread, I had to ponder a while. I tried to decide who amongst us would be among those likely to use one word versus the other. after considerable consideration of the subject, I have come to the conclusion that I don't know and don't care. Thusly, from this point forward, (and backward for that matter), I will just continue doing what I have always done. Hence, that means, I don't use it but think others should be free to use it as they so choose.
liane
Active Ink Slinger
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Hey,I want to try..... Whilst thou be posting a new thread soon? Did I use it correctly?
clum
Clumeleon
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Quote by liane
Hey,I want to try..... Whilst thou be posting a new thread soon? Did I use it correctly?


No.
adele
Weaver of Words
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Quote by liane
Hey,I want to try..... Whilst thou be posting a new thread soon? Did I use it correctly?


No, should have used wouldst thou. or whence will thou
AbigailThornton
Orgasm Aficionado
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I have come to no real conclusion whilst reading through this discussion. While some may be shocked to learn of my lack of commitment on the matter, I would argue that the discussion itself should be seen for what it is: a celebration of that most wonderful attribute of the English language: it's flexibility.
Kennny
Active Ink Slinger
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Whilst is british for while
just as:

Arse for ass
and
Mum for mom
overmykneenow
Active Ink Slinger
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Quote by clum
In the course of writing a story, it struck me that I didn't know the real difference between 'while' and 'whilst'. I have always used both and felt I knew instinctively when to use one or the other.

When I researched the topic further, I discovered that they are widely considered interchangeable and that 'whilst' is thought to be a more archaic word used only in Britain (and even then, decreasingly so). Even so, I can't help but feel that there is a subtle difference, that they each carry a certain nuance. Sometimes, when I read a sentence back, one feels decidedly more fitting than the other.

So, two questions:

Do any of you non-Britons use the word 'whilst', or is it just us?

If you do use the word 'whilst', do you use it as synonymous with 'while' or do you, like me, feel there is a (perhaps imagined) difference in their meaning (and can anyone pin it down)?

[Of course, I refer throughout to the subordinating conjunction, not the noun, 'while', lest there be pedants amongst (similar situation?) you.]


Whenever I'm in these situations I refer to the Guardian style guide - which I've used since the 1990s.

It simply says While, not whilst.

Guardian Style Guide
Warning: The opinions above are those of an anonymous individual on the internet. They are opinions, unless they're facts. They may be ill-informed, out of touch with reality or just plain stupid. They may contain traces of irony. If reading these opinions causes you to be become outraged or you start displaying the symptoms of outrage, stop reading them immediately. If symptoms persist, consult a psychiatrist.

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