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Usenet Posted 22 years ago
Usage
Whether vs. whether or not
I just thought I'd provide an example of each usage for the benefit of the non-native anglophones reading AUE. These two sentences are from comments to one of my Taiwanese medical authors:
1. "whether or not" is required; only "whether" is insufficient in thissentence:
'What you mean is a "drinker", which is idiomatic English for someone who "consumes" great quantities of alcohol, whether or not he is an alcoholic according to the definition of an alcoholic as someone who "needs" as little as one small drink every day.'
2. "whether" is sufficient"; "whether or not" is verbose:
'I'm not sure whether I confused myself or whether I was confused by wording I didn't look at carefully enough.'
==
Serious comments from anyone out there will be appreciated and responded to.
Franke: EFL teacher & medical editor.
For email, replace numbers with English alphabet.
1. "whether or not" is required; only "whether" is insufficient in thissentence:
'What you mean is a "drinker", which is idiomatic English for someone who "consumes" great quantities of alcohol, whether or not he is an alcoholic according to the definition of an alcoholic as someone who "needs" as little as one small drink every day.'
2. "whether" is sufficient"; "whether or not" is verbose:
'I'm not sure whether I confused myself or whether I was confused by wording I didn't look at carefully enough.'
==
Serious comments from anyone out there will be appreciated and responded to.
Franke: EFL teacher & medical editor.
For email, replace numbers with English alphabet.
Top answer
On 24 Jul 2004 05:36:34 GMT, CyberCypher [nq:1]I just thought I'd provide an example of each usage for the benefit of the non-native anglophones reading AUE. These two sentences are from comments to one of my Taiwanese medical authors: 1. "whether or not" is required; only "whether" is insufficient in this sentence:[/nq] "'whether' alone/only/on its own" is what you meant to say.
- On 24 Jul 2004 05:36:34 GMT, CyberCypher [nq:1]I just thought I'd provide an example of each usage for the benefit of the non-native anglophones reading AUE.
- These two sentences are from comments to one of my Taiwanese medical authors: 1.
- "whether or not" is required; only "whether" is insufficient in this sentence:[/nq] "'whether' alone/only/on its own" is what you meant to say.
- '[/nq] You could say "regardless whether" if you truly despise whether or not.
- [nq:1]2.
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38 Answers
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On 24 Jul 2004 05:36:34 GMT, CyberCypher
[nq:1]I just thought I'd provide an example of each usage for the benefit of the non-native anglophones reading AUE. These two sentences are from comments to one of my Taiwanese medical authors: 1. "whether or not" is required; only "whether" is insufficient in this sentence:[/nq]
"'whether' alone/only/on its own" is what you meant to say.
[nq:1
[nq:1]I just thought I'd provide an example of each usage for the benefit of the non-native anglophones reading AUE. These two sentences are from comments to one of my Taiwanese medical authors: 1. "whether or not" is required; only "whether" is insufficient in this sentence:[/nq]
"'whether' alone/only/on its own" is what you meant to say.
[nq:1
00
[nq:1]I just thought I'd provide an example of each usage for the benefit of the non-native anglophones reading AUE. These ... alcoholic according to the definition of an alcoholic as someone who "needs" as little as one small drink every day.'[/nq]
Seems fair enough. "Whether or not" should be substitutable with "Regardless of whether".
I'm pretty sure they're 100% synonymous.
Seems fair enough. "Whether or not" should be substitutable with "Regardless of whether".
I'm pretty sure they're 100% synonymous.
00
Dylan Nicholson wrote on 24 Jul 2004:
[nq:2]I just thought I'd provide an example of each usage ... who "needs" as little as one small drink every day.'[/nq]
[nq:1]Seems fair enough. "Whether or not" should be substitutable with "Regardless of whether". I'm pretty sure they're 100% synonymous.[/nq]
I have no problem accepting their fungibility here. They are stylistically different is
[nq:2]I just thought I'd provide an example of each usage ... who "needs" as little as one small drink every day.'[/nq]
[nq:1]Seems fair enough. "Whether or not" should be substitutable with "Regardless of whether". I'm pretty sure they're 100% synonymous.[/nq]
I have no problem accepting their fungibility here. They are stylistically different is
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[nq:1]'What you mean is a "drinker", which is idiomatic English for someone who "consumes" great quantities of alcohol, whether or not he is an alcoholic according to the definition of an alcoholic as someone who "needs" as little as one small drink every day.'[/nq]
What's with the rash of inverted commas?
Adrian
What's with the rash of inverted commas?
Adrian
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Adrian Bailey wrote on 24 Jul 2004:
[nq:2]'What you mean is a "drinker", which is idiomatic English ... who "needs" as little as one small drink every day.'[/nq]
[nq:1]What's with the rash of inverted commas?[/nq]
This sentence comes from a paragraph I wrote about why the author's choice of "alcohol consumer" was incorrect in context. I used the quote marks to isolate and emphasize the
[nq:2]'What you mean is a "drinker", which is idiomatic English ... who "needs" as little as one small drink every day.'[/nq]
[nq:1]What's with the rash of inverted commas?[/nq]
This sentence comes from a paragraph I wrote about why the author's choice of "alcohol consumer" was incorrect in context. I used the quote marks to isolate and emphasize the
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[nq:1]I just thought I'd provide an example of each usage for the benefit of the non-native anglophones reading AUE. These ... alcoholic according to the definition of an alcoholic as someone who "needs" as little as one small drink every day.'[/nq]
I agree. To compress the example,
He's a drinker, whether or not he's an alcoholic.
The word order would usually be 'whether he's an alcoh
I agree. To compress the example,
He's a drinker, whether or not he's an alcoholic.
The word order would usually be 'whether he's an alcoh
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On 24 Jul 2004 07:45:25 GMT, CyberCypher
[nq:1]Dylan Nicholson wrote on 24 Jul 2004:[/nq]
[nq:2]Seems fair enough. "Whether or not" should be substitutable with "Regardless of whether". I'm pretty sure they're 100% synonymous.[/nq]
[nq:1]I have no problem accepting their fungibility here.[/nq]
Yeuk.
Why show off so clumsily? Are you certain that was the right word?
Don
[nq:1]Dylan Nicholson wrote on 24 Jul 2004:[/nq]
[nq:2]Seems fair enough. "Whether or not" should be substitutable with "Regardless of whether". I'm pretty sure they're 100% synonymous.[/nq]
[nq:1]I have no problem accepting their fungibility here.[/nq]
Yeuk.
Why show off so clumsily? Are you certain that was the right word?
Don
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[nq:2]They are stylistically different is all.[/nq]
[nq:1]"Is all"?[/nq]
Of course. It's short for "that is all".
Skitt (in Hayward, California)
www.geocities.com/opus731/
[nq:1]"Is all"?[/nq]
Of course. It's short for "that is all".
Skitt (in Hayward, California)
www.geocities.com/opus731/
00
[nq:2]"Is all"?[/nq]
[nq:1]Of course. It's short for "that is all".[/nq]
Odd, I didn't notice it first time (it was a reply to my post). It's definitely not something I'd say or write, but I've seen it a few times.
[nq:1]Of course. It's short for "that is all".[/nq]
Odd, I didn't notice it first time (it was a reply to my post). It's definitely not something I'd say or write, but I've seen it a few times.
00
[nq:2]Of course. It's short for "that is all".[/nq]
[nq:1]Odd, I didn't notice it first time (it was a reply to my post). It's definitely not something I'd say or write, but I've seen it a few times.[/nq]
James Purdy's play Children Is All turns out on reading to be an example of that usage. My recollection is that the characters are country people, and the phrase has a rural sound to me (
[nq:1]Odd, I didn't notice it first time (it was a reply to my post). It's definitely not something I'd say or write, but I've seen it a few times.[/nq]
James Purdy's play Children Is All turns out on reading to be an example of that usage. My recollection is that the characters are country people, and the phrase has a rural sound to me (
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