Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

With respect, chrise, I would say that using "whilst" in your sentence is no better than using "while". "Whilst" can always be replaced by "while", but "while" cannot always be replaced by "whilst".

Some people object to using "while" when "although" or "whereas" are meant.

While/whilst I agree with you... [Although]
I vote Conservative while my wife votes Labour... [whereas].

But that is the height of pendantry.

I tripped on one of those Travel Dodge things in Asda. I reported it and the assistant said she would have to escalate the complaint.

Grunger

I like it! I remember that when the Luxurious Inter-Floor Transporter was invented, the Americans called it elevator, which seems inaccurate, but we stuck to the acronym.

ChrisE and Orson, the while/whilst stuff has been interesting. It's something I barely notice, but that's a good thing really - I don't want to spend all my days simmering!

Grunger

I was sorry to hear about your trip on the 'thingy' but was delighted that the assistant was going to escalate your complaint - better that than parking it.

Rosalind

I feel for the dead person trying to complete the census. It is hard enough for the living.

I helped with the 2001 census, having 4 areas in South Wirral. It was very enjoyable, but you had to ask people how many households were in the property, to give them forms. I got some strange answers. One man told me that he and his girlfriend were one household, and his wife was another. They had 2 bedrooms, but shared other rooms and had meals together. All 3 were happy with the arrangement.

I applied for the 2011 census but failed the aptitude test! Only "test" I have ever failed. I taught a class with the Christian names: Blessing, Goodness, Mercy amongst others.

jigjg

Very surprised you failed the aptitude test!
Love the story of the two households, no doubt a pragmatic arrangement.
What an interesting class!

Rosalind, I forgot to post that I enjoyed reading about the censuses. The infirmities part was great fun, do you think I could put down 'pedant' on my form?

Mathsprofrockstar, I've decided to ignore - completely - the travelator and I feel 'travellator' is just as inelegant. I'm unlikely to ever need to use the word, so I will cope.

jigjag and co.

Those names in your class (Goodness, Mercy etc.) sound like gipsy/traveller ones. I taught a Lightning from that community.

A test I have failed: our head thought it wise for staff to learn first aid. After a course on one evening per week for several weeks I failed the practical - apparently I would have killed someone with my resuscitation method.

I did help my wife with the 1991 census in quite a rough area and it was very difficult collecting the last few forms from the secretive and the recalcitrant. We certainly had to leave some households to be persuaded by a higher authority.

'While': I know someone who was brought up in Lincolnshire. He uses 'I'll be there while nine o'clock' meaning 'by' or 'at'. I think he can also use it to mean 'until'.

'Whilst' sounds antiquated to me, but I prefer it to the hideous 'unbeknownst'.

While I'm here: someone on another site was pulled up (I thought correctly) for writing 'rising to a crescendo...'. However, another pointed out that dictionaries have crescendo meaning 'high point' as well as 'increasing in loudness', so I've always been mistaken.

Rather arrogantly I disagree with the dictionaries, given the Latin root of the word.

Paulhabershon, I try to avoid using certain words, even if I think I may be using them quite correctly, as I know they will arouse a sense of disquiet in others. 'Crescendo' is one and 'meteoric' is another.

I liked the 'while nine o'clock', the 'while' sounds very versatile.

Paul

The families were immigrants from West Africa. It was a Catholic school in Liverpool. Other unusual names were Demi-Lee, Demi-Lea, Demi-Leigh, Aimee and Amiee. I have no idea of the origin of these.

A friend from Yorkshire also uses "while" as in "I cant get there while (until) Tuesday. He told me of a tragedy at a level crossing where the sign said something like "Cross while green light shows" and a pedestrian mis-interpreted it.