What is the difference between while and whilst? | whilst vs while
SEMANTICENIGMAS[1]Whatisthedifferencebetweenwhileandwhilst?DrMichaelFord,LondonHoadsetymologygiveswhilstasaderivationofwhiles,anadverbialformofwhile.Thetontheendisparasitic(cf.among~amongst,amid~amidst,etc.).Whilststartedtobeusedasaconjunction,equivalenttowhile,inthe13thcentury. InmodernBritishEnglish,whilstissupposedlyamoreformalvariantofwhile.Itisalso,inmyexperience,particularlybelovedofstudentswhowritebadessays.DominicWatt,DepartmentofLinguistics&Phonetics,UniversityofLeedsAs...
SEMANTIC ENIGMAS[1]What is the difference between while and whilst?
Dr Michael Ford, London
Hoads etymology gives whilst as a derivation of whiles, an adverbial form of while. The t on the end is parasitic (cf. among~amongst, amid~amidst, etc.). Whilst started to be used as a conjunction, equivalent to while, in the 13th century.In modern British English, whilst is supposedly a more formal variant of while. It is also, in my experience, particularly beloved of students who write bad essays.
Dominic Watt, Department of Linguistics & Phonetics, University of Leeds
As a British Midlander, I have some sympathy with earlier answers. However, my own bias has always been to generally use "while" for activities happening in parallel. "While I was preparing lunch, my wife was gardening." In contrast, I have used "whilst" where there is more of a contradiction. "Whilst it may be necessary or desirable to protect populations from cruel and...