By now you must have probably seen a number of statements with either “among” or “amongst”; “while” or “whilst”. But do you actually know the difference between these two almost similar words?
Well, before we look at the difference between these two lists of words, we should first look at sentence examples of such words. Take a look:
A
(1) I placed her amongst the boys.
(2) I placed her among the boys.
B
(1) If you dare talk whilst am talking, I’ll cut off your throat.
(2) If you dare talk while am talking, I’ll cut off your throat.
Now, between the two pair of words, which one sounds correct and why?
Well, according to OED, “amongst” should be used less often than “among” in the ordinary sense. It should only be used to illustrate dispersion, shifting of position or inter-mixture. For example, “Asians have been staying amongst us for long. Or, cats have no place amongst the dogs.”
For “whilst” vs. “while”, use “while” for regular statements; and “whilst” for subjunctive or conditional purposes. Alternatively, use whilst in serious contexts or statements that are more formal and provisional. For example, “they were to pay us tax whilst working.”
Now, judging from the illustrations above; which sentence between the pair sounds more correct?
VividWriters 