Whilst

[Michael Quinion]

Laurence Horn wrote:

> For me, "whilst" for "while" is definitely a shibboleth for
> [+British] or at least [-U.S.], although evidently not as useful a
> one as I should have...er, would have thought.

Being British and of advanced years I tend to use "whilst" and am
rather fond of it. However, the British copyeditor for my last book,
for an British publisher, took out my occasional "whilst"'s and I had
to ask for them to be put back. Even in the UK, it's now often thought
pretentious or old-fashioned.

--
Michael Quinion
Editor, World Wide Words
Web: http://www.worldwidewords.org

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