Whatever vs whatsoever

Question

I was listening to a bbc report wherein Alistair Campbell said that he he had nothing "whatever" to do with a dossier. His quote was "I had nothing whatever to do with that .. I repeat nothing whatever"
In the u.s, it would be more common to say "I had nothing whatsoever to do with this". The word "whatever" would indicate apathy in the u.s.
Are these two words interchangeable? Or are there subtle differences?
whatever
- gsn

Usenet · Accepted Answer

(Email Removed) (Pearlvn) burbled
[nq:1]I was listening to a bbc report wherein Alistair Campbell said that he he had nothing "whatever" to do with ... The word "whatever" would indicate apathy in the u.s. Are these two words interchangeable? Or are there subtle differences? whatever[/nq]
And there's your answer: "Whatever".
Whatsoever is a bit more emphatic sounding but means "whatever", for whatever it's worth. And there's another answer: You cannot replace that last "whatever" with "whatsoever" and have an idiomatic sentence.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I was listening to a bbc report wherein Alistair Campbell said that he he had nothing "whatever" to do with ... this". The word "whatever" would indicate apathy in the u.s. Are these two words interchangeable? Or are there subtle differences?[/nq]
Both "wherein" and "whatsoever" sound like legalese to me.

Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7734/stevesig.htm
E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk

Usenet · Answer

Okay, so this one time? In band camp? Steve Hayes was all, like:
[nq:1]Both "wherein" and "whatsoever" sound like legalese to me.[/nq]
How do you feel about "the wild winds of fortune will carry me onward, oh, whithersoever they blow"?...r

Whatever vs whatsoever

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