Grammar tips: while or whilst?
A couple of weeks ago, I was with a client who was putting the finishing touches to an annual report. Several people had written parts of it – me, investor relations, the finance team and company secretarial – and we were ironing out the inevitable stylistic differences.
That’s when somebody raised this question:
Is it while or whilst?
There were plenty of theories round the table, but the simple answer is that there’s no difference in meaning.
There is, however, quite a difference in the impression they make. I’ve always favoured the more-relaxed and accessible while. There’s something crusty and old fashioned – pompous even – about whilst, which is why I routinely delete it when I’m editing.
A subtlety
Some people think it’s only correct to use while (or whilst) when describing a period of time. The usually sensible Economist style guide falls into this camp.
Others (such as Fowler’s Modern English Usage) think it’s perfectly allowable to use while in place of other words. In the following example, while replaces although:
While 2011 is likely to be difficult, we expect better conditions in 2012.
This use is widely accepted and I’ve employed it many times. On reflection, though, I’d prefer the sentence with although. All writers know when a sentence feels right and although does it for me.
Tags: business copywriting, communication, copywriting, economist style guide, while, whilst
3 Responses to “Grammar tips: while or whilst?”
Leave a Reply
I agree – I think ‘whilst’ sounds pretentious and outdated. I always change it when I’m editing other’s words.
I also dislike the use of ‘those’ to mean people. As in: The ramps are designed for those in wheelchairs.
I could go on, but I won’t!
Leif Kendall recently posted Content strategy- a definition
I completely agree. ‘Whilst’ is used primarily, in my experience, by people trying to convey a more professional or formal tone of voice. I don’t think the majority of people think that there’s a difference between ‘whilst’ and ‘while’, I think there’s a mistaken belief that it’s somehow more ‘proper’.
When I’m copy editing it gets deleted and replaced without exception – and if you meet with resistance, ask the originator to read the sentence aloud using both options. There’ll be an admission, if often a reluctant and begrudging one, that ‘whilst’ sounds clumsy and unnatural.
I like whilst, it sounds nice next to certain words where while feels a bit empty. Whilst progress is easier to say than while progress because it involves more moving of the mouth. As for being pretensions I have never really thought about that…