'whilst' goof - Philomena (2013) Discussion

Yes! Stuck out like a sore thumb and I thought the same thing! Great movie though. Very sad.

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"Whilst" is not an unknown, forbidden word. While it's not conventionally used in American English, it is used sometimes in written or formal (or pretentious) situations. However, I agree this was probably a goof or oversight.

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[–] zaptie 10 years ago

I've lived in the States for seventeen years, and I've heard whilst used frequently over that time.

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[–] telejunkie 10 years ago

Umm... Wgere in the States do you live?! I have lived here 37 years and I can assure you whilst is absolutely not used here unless A. It is said by a European or B. It is said by a completely pretentious a-hole trying desperately to sound intelligent. This was a definite goof in an otherwise flawless movie. But Americans use the word 'while,' not 'whilst.' Period.

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[–] E_nineteen 10 years ago

I'm English but have worked in an American company for the past few months and have noticed 'whilst' used a few times by my American colleagues. I agree that it is much less commonly used in the US than in the UK, but it's still there. They're all in the medical sphere so I wonder if it is taught in more of an academic standard?

I also notice Americans use 'thus' more than Brits, which comes across as quite pretentious to me.

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[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] zaptie 10 years ago

I live in southern Ohio. The word is used fairly often in my particular circle of friends, and none of us are what I'd call pretentious. We only really talk to each other, and we don't need to prove to one another that we're smart.

I don't know, shrug. It's probably just my friend group.

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When is a sidewalk fully dressed? When it's Waring Hudsucker!

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[–] GravityCakes 9 years ago

Telejunkie, I agree with you completely -- I am a professor of medieval history and literature at a liberal arts college in the Midwest, grew up and attended college on the west coast (though I attended grad school on the east coast), and I lived in England while researching manuscripts for my dissertation. I have never heard an American say "whilst." It is an English-ism, not at all common to American English. I also noticed it on the website write-up in the film (though I still liked the film very much and thought it was a minor error of course)

"Hearts and kidneys are tinker toys! I am talking about the central nervous system!"

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[–] london777 8 years ago

I can assure you whilst is absolutely not used here unless ... it is said by a completely pretentious a-hole trying desperately to sound intelligent.
And of course there are no persons answering to that description in the USA, so it could not possibly have occurred.

We are flattered that the way to sound intelligent in the US is to speak English correctly, but it does take a little more than that.

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[–] WhiteHeron 10 years ago

Americans don't ever use that word. It just isn't in our vocabulary.

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[–] jd-276 10 years ago

Most of the people I come across who use "whilst" are Americans (I am Australian).

People generally use it because they presume it to be more technically correct English but in fact, it's antiquated. Use "while" instead.

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[–] WhiteHeron 10 years ago

I'm an American by birth and have lived in many parts of the country and I have never heard an American say "whilst", nor have I heard an American on TV or in a movie use the word.

Even the Oxford English Dictionary says the usage is British: http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/whils t

Perhaps you're remembering incorrectly.

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[–] liviasoprano 10 years ago

Lol. Of course we do.

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[–] WhiteHeron 10 years ago

Lol...nope.

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[–] supergran 10 years ago

Lol...nope.

Strewth. If American posters say they use the word, then they use the word! End of!

(And the dictionary says "chiefly British".)

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain.

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[–] WhiteHeron 10 years ago

I'm an American and a writer with a degree in literature who has studied language usage. "Whilst" is not a word that an American says. End of yourself, Granny.

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[–] supergran 10 years ago

I'm an American and a writer with a degree in literature who has studied language usage

I'm very happy for you, dear, but you've practically accused your compatriots here of lying.

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain.

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[–] WhiteHeron 10 years ago

As they have me, dear.

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[–] YellowManReanimated 8 years ago

I'm with Granny. Stop pretending you're a better authority on the language usage of over 100 million people than they are themselves, you clown.

Against the faint background of reality, imagination spins out and weaves new patterns

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[–] gbeach 8 years ago

According to the Corpus of Contemporary American English, it is much more common to use 'while' than 'whilst' but it is used. And it is more common in fiction and academic writing than in speech.

However, to say that "'whilst' is not a word that an American says" is not an entirely accurate statement. It is accurate to say that while it is highly unusual for an American to use 'whilst', it is possible.

---
Nothing is so good that somebody, somewhere will not hate it. -- Frederik Pohl

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[–] Stirchley 8 years ago

LOL. I remember you once averring that irregardless is not a proper word, which it is. Just because you are adamant in your opinions does not make them correct.

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[–] WhiteHeron 8 years ago

Ok, Stirchley. Whatever you think. You know, sometimes you're pretty enjoyable to talk to and sometimes you're just a straight up unpleasant. How's that working for you?

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[–] Stirchley 8 years ago

White Heron, again, you are describing yourself.

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[–] emuir-1 9 years ago

Depends on the size of your vocabulary.

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[–] pepetoony (1537) 4 years ago

Americans don't ever use that word?? What a sweeping generalization! I'm American and I use "whilst" whilst typing. And that's not meant to be a joke. I really do.

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[–] SuperWittySmitty 9 years ago

I work for a big company in NYC that is headquartered in London, so I hear a lot of words that one normally not hear in America. The only Americans I hear using "whilst" (or spelt, learnt, dreamt, kerfuffle...) are ones who are trying to sound sophisticated. It's certainly NOT part of the American vernacular.

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[–] HarlowMGM 9 years ago

It would never be on an American website that's for sure, unless it was written by someone British who had just moved to the country. If it's used here, it's basically only used by Brits who haven't let it go, not unlike other foreigners who hold on to occasional words or phrases from their native land.

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[–] emncaity 9 years ago

Can't even believe you pointed it out. I saw exactly the same thing, and it threw me for a second, because I thought "Was this a bio from the UK or Ireland? Why? What does it mean in the context of the story?"

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[–] janine-hummel 9 years ago

Whilst stood OUT like a sore thumb. And, I rewound twice and I don't think I'm mistaken: his tomb stone stated, "Two nation's" rather than "two nations." The movie was great; its grammar was bad.

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[–] 9 years ago

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[–] supergran 9 years ago

I can't believe how dogmatic people are being about this. Language evolves, and developments in communication has meant that the pace of change has accelerated.

I'm English. I haven't the foggiest how far the use of "whilst" has spread (I say/write it all the time), but if Americans say they use the word, I'm not going to argue with them. I DO know, however, that "American-isms" have crept into everyday language here in the UK. Why can't the Atlantic crossing be two way?

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain.

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[–] RhiaAki1185 9 years ago

I use it on a semi-regular basis and I'm as American as can be. From Colorado no less.

Also, people that make blanket statements drive me up the wall. You know who you are.
Actually, maybe you don't. Maybe the term "blanket statements" is unknown to you. Well, you can look it up whilst you are on the internet.
(See what I did there? )

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[–] supergran 9 years ago

@Rhia:

👍

If there aren't any skeletons in a man's closet, there's probably a Bertha in his attic.

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[–] koko-10 9 years ago

 Hear, hear!

Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue.

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[–] moggie992002 9 years ago

Clearly he is unusually well educated for an American.

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[–] MycroftHolmes 8 years ago

I'm not so sure using whilst indicates being well educated. He was educated in America and it isn't like they tell you secret words to use to sound like you're really well educated. "Always remember to sneak in words such as shan't and whilst into the conversation to impress upon others that you are much better educated than them".

What we got here is... failure to communicate!



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