between 'as long as' and 'so long as'

Question

Can some body tell me what is the difference between the usage of 'as long as' and 'so long as'

MalRey · Accepted Answer

In most cases there isn't really any difference. If you have some specific examples where you think there is a different please post them.

Anonymous · Answer

There are some differences. For example, you can say:

"The fish I caught is as long as yours."

But you can't say "The fish I caught is so long as yours."

You can say "The second feature is as long as the first."

But you can't say "The second feature is so long as the first."

Otherwise, they seem to be similar, however there is a shade in meaning. For example:

"The fish I caught is not as long as yours." and
"The fish I caught is not so long as yours." are approximately synonymous.

But the second sentence seems cruder than the first. This is how a young child might say it. Or you might hear this more in rural areas or from people who are not that well educated.

Similarly, "We'll be okay so long as the rains come." seems cruder and more "rural" than "We'll be okay as long as the rains come."

"As long as you're here I'm happy." and "So long as you're here I'm happy." are approximately synonymous. But the second one seems cruder and perhaps somewhat less friendly than the first.

between 'as long as' and 'so long as'

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