geNius
..!.,
+144|6412|SoCal
This is a random rant:

Who, on God's green earth actually uses the word "whilst" in everyday conversation?

Does anyone realize it's a Middle English word meaning "while", and that it has no place in today's English?

Why the F' do I see it appear in so many nonsensical forum posts?!

Thank you, that is all.
https://srejects.com/genius/srejects.png
Sneaky.Russian
Random Hero
+119|6291|Australia QLD
I dont use it (often i think) but isn't it same as "While it is"
Fenris_GreyClaw
Real Хорошо
+826|6489|Adelaide, South Australia

I use it.

And link to these 'nonsensical forum posts', you have aroused my curiosity.
geNius
..!.,
+144|6412|SoCal
Search "whilst" in these forums.  It comes up a ridiculous amount of times.

Whilst does not mean "while it is".

Whilst means "while".
https://srejects.com/genius/srejects.png
buLLet_t00th
Mr. Boombastic
+178|6412|Stealth City, UK

geNius wrote:

Search "whilst" in these forums.  It comes up a ridiculous amount of times.

Whilst does not mean "while it is".

Whilst means "while".
And? Im pretty sure thats how its used in most posts, especially if its by a British poster.
jsnipy
...
+3,276|6492|...

I use it from time to time. The context I use it in is when I'm describing someone or something doing a simultaneous action ...

Jim was make pancakes whilst smoking.
Jim was make pancakes while smoking.

I think using whilst puts empshais on the the fact that someone is juggling two actions at the same time.
Cougar
Banned
+1,962|6734|Dallas
Someone please explain why it matters.
theDude5B
Cool member
+804|6720

jsnipy wrote:

I use it from time to time. The context I use it in is when I'm describing someone or something doing a simultaneous action ...

Jim was make pancakes whilst smoking.
Jim was make pancakes while smoking.

I think using whilst puts empshais on the the fact that someone is juggling two actions at the same time.
Jim was making pancakes while smoking
DonFck
Hibernator
+3,227|6601|Finland

Thou speaketh of a most trivial matter, my sir!

*pirouettes away*
I need around tree fiddy.
Cougar
Banned
+1,962|6734|Dallas

theDude5B wrote:

jsnipy wrote:

I use it from time to time. The context I use it in is when I'm describing someone or something doing a simultaneous action ...

Jim was make pancakes whilst smoking.
Jim was make pancakes while smoking.

I think using whilst puts empshais on the the fact that someone is juggling two actions at the same time.
Jim was making pancakes while smoking
LMAYONAISE
heggs
Spamalamadingdong
+581|6358|New York

jsnipy wrote:

I use it from time to time. The context I use it in is when I'm describing someone or something doing a simultaneous action ...

Jim was make pancakes whilst smoking.
Jim was make pancakes while smoking.

I think using whilst puts empshais on the the fact that someone is juggling two actions at the same time.
Pancakes and a smoke?
Flapjack and a cigarrette?
Bong and a blintz?
Remember Me As A Time Of Day
Fenix14
scout rush kekeke ^___^
+116|6527|Brisbane, Aus

geNius wrote:

Search "whilst" in these forums.  It comes up a ridiculous amount of times.

Whilst means "while".
And? So? Well? What!?!

So people get bored of saying while all the time, does that really bother you that bad?

And searching for a single word will always give off huge amounts of results.
Superior Mind
(not macbeth)
+1,755|6663

heggs wrote:

jsnipy wrote:

I use it from time to time. The context I use it in is when I'm describing someone or something doing a simultaneous action ...

Jim was make pancakes whilst smoking.
Jim was make pancakes while smoking.

I think using whilst puts empshais on the the fact that someone is juggling two actions at the same time.
Pancakes and a smoke?
Flapjack and a cigarrette?
Bong and a blintz?
Cigar and a waffle?
Crepe and a pipe?
The Stillhouse Kid
Licensed Televulcanologist
+126|6612|Deep In The South Of Texas
Some people like a little variety in their vocabulary. Oh, God forbid that.

I see enough of the 1337 speak and horrendous spelling and grammar from internet cretins, so reading a somewhat obscure word once in a while is a breath of fresh air.
Jenspm
penis
+1,716|6702|St. Andrews / Oslo

Superior Mind wrote:

heggs wrote:

jsnipy wrote:

I use it from time to time. The context I use it in is when I'm describing someone or something doing a simultaneous action ...

Jim was make pancakes whilst smoking.
Jim was make pancakes while smoking.

I think using whilst puts empshais on the the fact that someone is juggling two actions at the same time.
Pancakes and a smoke?
Flapjack and a cigarrette?
Bong and a blintz?
Cigar and a waffle?
Crepe and a pipe?
Hand and a Penis?
https://static.bf2s.com/files/user/26774/flickricon.png https://twitter.com/phoenix/favicon.ico
jord
Member
+2,382|6648|The North, beyond the wall.
Hold on whilst i google it.
KylieTastic
Games, Girls, Guinness
+85|6422|Cambridge, UK

geNius wrote:

Does anyone realize it's a Middle English word meaning "while", and that it has no place in today's English?
By what source do you do you say this? I just checked both my Collins and Chambers Dictionaries and neither say its archaic or in-proper.

Yes while it is probably over used by some, I would have to say that English is the rich language it is due to our tolerance to change, therefore such 'rants' about proper English are against the nature of our language itself. I can just imagine some similar people year ago in the Globe shouting abuse at Shakespeare for not following the rules.
De_Jappe
Triarii
+432|6497|Belgium

I use it a lot: ROFWL rolling on the floor whilst laughing
Scorpion0x17
can detect anyone's visible post count...
+691|6736|Cambridge (UK)
'While' and 'Whilst' do not mean the same thing. Get yourself a decent English dictionary.
Surgeons
U shud proabbly f off u fat prik
+3,097|6459|Gogledd Cymru

hmm another internet cretin strikes again dulululululuuuuuuu
Scorpion0x17
can detect anyone's visible post count...
+691|6736|Cambridge (UK)

surgeon_bond wrote:

hmm another internet cretin strikes again dulululululuuuuuuu
I whilst away the hours while reading this kind of drivel (not your drivel surgeon_bond, his drivel)...

;P

Last edited by Scorpion0x17 (2007-04-26 10:43:36)

topal63
. . .
+533|6688

Scorpion0x17 wrote:

'While' and 'Whilst' do not mean the same thing. Get yourself a decent English dictionary.
I don't know if that is true, but I like the word. So I sort of agree as it infers (connotes) being among/amidst something in a time sense.

I was making pancakes while I was smoking.

I was making pancakes whilst around me the walls were caving in.

Also language is not static, it is dynamic, so who really cares? Purity of style is a fallacy - as all it really means is a mode of fashion - in a language sense (language adds words and shades of meaning to old words often).

Scorpion0x17 wrote:

surgeon_bond wrote:

hmm another Internet cretin strikes again dulululululuuuuuuu
I whilst away the hours while reading this kind of drivel (not your drivel surgeon_bond, his drivel)...

;P
To "while away the hours" is a fairly common expression.

This is more or less the same thing: "I while away the hours while reading this kind of drivel (not your drivel surgeon_bond, his drivel)"

As used in the context you stated it sounds better with the "st" sound at the word ending (IMO).

Last edited by topal63 (2007-04-26 11:32:40)

Milk.org
Bringing Sexy Back
+270|6746|UK

jsnipy wrote:

I use it from time to time. The context I use it in is when I'm describing someone or something doing a simultaneous action ...

Jim was make pancakes whilst smoking.
Jim was make pancakes while smoking.

I think using whilst puts empshais on the the fact that someone is juggling two actions at the same time.
MrE`158
Member
+103|6593

KylieTastic wrote:

geNius wrote:

Does anyone realize it's a Middle English word meaning "while", and that it has no place in today's English?
By what source do you do you say this? I just checked both my Collins and Chambers Dictionaries and neither say its archaic or in-proper.
"Whilst" in its current meaning of 'while' is not really Middle English.  Yes, it's been in use since the 1300's, but it's only been used in its current meaning since the late 1500's.  A more normal Middle English term for 'while' would have been "whilom".  (source:  Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd Edition)

"Whilst" as we use it now is a Modern English word by any standards.  Yes, it is synonymous with "while".  Y'know what?  English is full of synonyms.  It's one of the big features of the language.  That's why (depending on who you listen to) there are anything between 600,000 and 900,000 different words in English, surpassing most other languages by a few hundred thousand.  From what I remember off-hand, neither German nor French break 300,000 terms.

As a synonym of "while", "whilst" is perfectly valid, and is not archaic.  It would be considered to be a more formal word, and is significantly less used, but that doesn't make it incorrect.

And sorry to say, "I whilst away the hours while reading this kind of drivel ." is, in fact, incorrect.  "Whilst" is not used as a verb the way "while" is, so it has to stay "I while away the hours while reading this kind of drivel."
Scorpion0x17
can detect anyone's visible post count...
+691|6736|Cambridge (UK)
Woosh! Straight over everybody's heads....

My "I whilst away the hours while reading this kind of drivel" that is.



clue

Last edited by Scorpion0x17 (2007-04-26 17:11:32)

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