Who knew that this word confusion as versus whether even had any trouble?
Turns out that as tells us something, compares, or expresses a doubt.
Whether is always questioning, which of something.
The As Plus Whether Clause
Then again, as and whether are frequently combined to express uncertainty about something or when introducing a discussion of options or alternatives:
- We are still not sure as to whether or not the policy will be successful.
- Whether as a leader, a follower, a teacher, a student, a mentor or a trainee, I have navigated through numerous interpersonal conflicts.
- The decision as to whether or not to proceed is solely that of the requestor.
- One gets a feeling as to whether or not one will be happy in a place.
Source: as to
Exploring Later . . .
You may also want to explore “Nope, It’s Not As You Like It“, “As versus Because“, “As versus For“, “As versus Since“, and/or “As versus That“.
You may also be interested in Weather vs Wether vs Whether“.
Word Confusions . . .
. . . started as my way of dealing with a professional frustration with properly spelled words that were out of context in manuscripts I was editing as well as books I was reviewing. It evolved into a sharing of information with y’all. I’m hoping you’ll share with us words that have been a bête noire for you from either end.
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| As | Whether |
|---|---|
Bikini Mosaic by Roundtheworld is under one of the shared CC licenses, via WorldHistory.org. — Just as we play ball on the beach, so too did the Romans. |
Desserts is in the public domain, via PickPik. — Choices, choices, whether I should choose the healthy nuts or the tasty bar. |
| Part of Grammar: | |
| Conjunction, causal, Pronoun | Conjunction, Pronoun |
| Check the Punctuation page for information on comma usage for: | |
| as | whether |
| Conjunction, causal: Indicates that something happens during the time when something is taking place
Indicates by comparison the way that something happens or is done
Whether
Pronoun: [New England, Midland, and Southern US] Who, whom, which that [Chiefly dialect] After a substantive not modified by same or such |
Conjunction: Expressing a doubt or choice between alternatives
Pronoun: [Obsolete] Which (of two; used in direct or indirect questions) |
| Examples: | |
| Conjunction, causal: You are as sweet as sugar. The situation is not so bad as you suggest. Think as I think. The dog slipped on the ice as I ran home. I went to bed early, as I was exhausted. He was so foolish as to lie. Great as the author was, he proved a bad model. Ridiculous as it seems, the tale is true. The hotel is quite comfortable as such establishments go. The sun is hot, as everyone knows. I don’t know as I can answer your question. Pronoun: She was the same height as her sister. I bought the same shoes as you did. I went to the same pub as you were yesterday. |
Conjunction: He seemed undecided whether to go or stay. It is still not clear whether or not he realizes. I’ll see whether she’s at home. I’m going whether you like it or not. Pronoun: He threatens to go whether or no. “That we did not indeed know where it was, and so we might get a great deal, or a little, we did not know whether; . . .” (Defoe, 86). |
| History of the Word: | |
| Middle English as a reduced form of the Old English alswā meaning similarly. | Old English hwæther, hwether is of Germanic origin and related to the German weder meaning neither. |
C’mon, get it out of your system, bitch, whine, moan . . . which words are your pet peeves? Also, please note that I try to be as accurate as I can, but mistakes happen or I miss something. Email me if you find errors, so I can fix them . . . and we’ll all benefit!
Satisfy your curiosity about other Word Confusions on its homepage or more generally explore the index of self-editing posts. You may also want to explore Book Layout & Formatting Ideas, Building Your Website, Formatting Tips, Grammar Explanations, Linguistics, Marketing Help & Resources, Publishing Tips, the Properly Punctuated, and/or Writing Ideas and Resources.
Resources for As versus Whether
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“as to whether or not.” Ludwig.guru. n.d. Accessed 7 June 2024. <https://ludwig.guru/s/as+to+whether+or+not>.
Defoe, Daniel. The Adventures of Captain Singleton. Originally published 1720. HardPress, 2018. <https://amzn.to/3yMHzc6>. Ebook.
The Free Dictionary: as, whether
Khurana, Anjali. “English Grammar: What part of speech is ‘as’?” Quora. 2012. Accessed n.d. <http://www.quora.com/Grammar/What-part-of-speech-is-as>.
“Like and As.” English for Students. n.d. Web. 28 May 2012. <http://www.english-for-students.com/Like-and-As.html>.
Shivanand. Jätkä, Jyrkkä. “‘as’ as a pronoun.” Forum. The Free Dictionary. 12 July 2012. Accessed 7 June 2024. <https://forum.thefreedictionary.com/postst27306_-as–as-a-pronoun.aspx>.
Swift, Jonathan. Gulliver’s Travels. Originally published 1726. SeaWolf Press, 2022. <https://amzn.to/4c2Bkj2>. Ebook.
Pinterest Photo Credits
Shoes and Boots is TJFREE‘s own work and is under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license, via Wikimedia Commons.
