Editing While

{{Short description|Noun and subordinating conjunction}}
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{{other uses}}
{{notability|date=June 2021}}

{{wiktionary|while|whilst}}
'''''While''''' is a word in the [[English language]] that functions both as a [[noun]] and as a [[Grammatical conjunction|subordinating conjunction]]. Its meaning varies largely based on its intended function, position in the phrase and even the writer or speaker's [[Dialect|regional dialect]]. As a conjunction, it is [[synonym]]ous with the word '''''whilst''''', a form often considered archaic in American English, as well as in some style guides on both sides of the Atlantic.

==Usage==

===Noun===
''A while'' and ''awhile'' are often confused due to the fact that ''while'' is often accompanied by [[Indefinite article|the indefinite article]]. The main difference is that ''a while'' means "an amount of time" or "some duration" whereas ''awhile'' is an [[adverb]] meaning "''for'' some amount of time" or "''for'' some duration".<ref>[http://www.dailywritingtips.com/a-while-vs-awhile/ A While vs Awhile]</ref>

:"I slept for a while before dinner."
:"I slept awhile before dinner."

Both of these sentences yield the same effective meaning. ''Whilst'' is only a conjunction, and so its use here would be incorrect.

===Conjunction===
The primary function of the word as a conjunction is to indicate that two separate [[clause]]s occur at the same time.

:"The days were hot while we were on vacation."
:"I read a magazine while I was waiting."

''While'' can also be legitimately used in the contrastive sense, comparable to the words "although" or "whereas", provided that it is not ambiguous (although some commentators, such as [[Eric Partridge]], have disapproved of such use):

:"While I like cats, my husband is allergic."
:"While Sally plays, Sue works."

The latter sentence can mean either "during the time that Sally plays, Sue works" or "although Sally plays, Sue works" and is thus ambiguous.

''[[A Dictionary of Modern English Usage|Fowler's Modern English Usage]]'' disapproves of several uses of the conjunctive ''while''. At times it is inappropriately used as a [[Grammatical conjunction|coordinating conjunction]]: "and" or "but" should be used instead. Its usage as "elegant variation" is also discouraged, as it is masquerading as a "formal word".<ref>"while": ''[[A Dictionary of Modern English Usage|Fowler's Modern English Usage]]'', Second Edition, ed. Sir [[Ernest Gowers]] 1965 and 1983, and ''Pocket Fowler's Modern English Usage''. Ed. Robert Allen. Oxford University Press, 1999</ref>

In some dialects of Northern England, ''while'' is translated into standard English as "until"; for example, "At least wait while we're done."<ref>{{cite book| last = Kellett| first = Arnold| title = Basic broad Yorkshire| year = 1991| isbn = 978-1-870071-82-6| page = 142 | publisher = Smith Settle}}</ref>

===Usage===
In standard [[British English]] and [[Australian English]], ''whilst'', as a conjunction, is synonymous with ''although'', ''whereas'', ''but'' or ''while''. Unlike ''whilst'', ''while'' is also used as a noun (as in "rest for a while") or a verb (as in "while away the hours").

The usage of ''whilst'' is chiefly British.<ref name="Garner_Page_943">{{cite book |last1=Garner |first1=Bryan A. |title=Garner's Dictionary of Legal Usage |date=2011 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |isbn=9780195384208 |page=943 |edition=3rd |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O1m1bI5vCooC&pg=PA943 |access-date=September 10, 2023}}</ref> For example, the BBC World Service website "Learning English", in their "Ask about English" section, uses the word ''whilst'' when explaining the usage of "while and whereas".<ref>"Note that ''whilst'' we would use ''while'' or ''whereas'' within sentences to contrast two ideas, across sentences we would need to use 'however' or 'on the other hand'."(italics added).{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/learnit/learnitv69.shtml|title=BBC World Service: 'Learning English' | access-date=2012-04-19}}</ref>

In [[American English]], ''whilst'' is considered to be pretentious, archaic, and obsolete.<ref name="Garner_Page_943" /><ref>Strunk, W., and White, E.B. ''The Elements of Style''. 4th ed. 2000. Allyn & Bacon, Boston. Pg. 63-64.</ref>

Some publications on both sides of the Atlantic disapprove of ''whilst'' in their style guides (along with other words ending in "st"; "amidst", "amongst", "unbeknownst", etc.); for example:
* BBC News: "'''while''' and '''not''' 'whilst'"<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/journalism/news-style-guide/article/art20130702112133606 |title=BBC News Style Guide - W}}</ref>
* Times Online Style Guide: "'''while''' (not whilst)"<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2941-583,00.html |location=London |work=The Times |title=Online Style Guide W |first=Jeremy |last=Kelly |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070331002842/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2941-583,00.html |archive-date=March 31, 2007 }}</ref>
* Guardian Style Guide: "'''while''' not whilst"<ref>{{cite news|title=Guardian Style Guide |url=https://www.theguardian.com/styleguide/w | location=London | work=The Guardian | date=2014-01-26}}</ref>
* Hansard: the Canadian Parliament record: "'''while''' not whilst"<ref>[http://www.hansard.ca/styleguide.pdf Hansard Association of Canada Style Guide]</ref>

The [[Houghton Mifflin Harcourt|American Heritage Guide]] writes that, "while using ''whilst'' runs the risk of sounding pretentious, it can sometimes add a literary or ironically formal note to a piece of writing".<ref>{{cite book| last = Company| first = Houghton Mifflin| title = The American Heritage guide to contemporary usage and style| url = https://archive.org/details/americanheritage00dict| url-access = limited| year = 2005| publisher = Houghton Mifflin Harcourt| isbn = 978-0-618-60499-9| page = [https://archive.org/details/americanheritage00dict/page/n522 503] }}</ref>

''[[Practical English Usage]]'' by [[Michael Swan (writer)|Michael Swan]] ([[Oxford University Press|OUP]]), a reference book for intermediate and advanced learners of English, does not include ''whilst'' but has several sections covering the usage of ''while''.

==See also==
* [[Linguistic prescription]]
* [[List of English words with disputed usage]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:American and British English differences]]
[[Category:English grammar]]
[[Category:English words]]