20 Comments
131
What's wrong with "I speak whilst I eat?". It's common to interchange while/whilst in the UK and it seems unfair to be penalised for what is a correct translation. Especially when Duolingo is normally pretty good at understanding US/UK english quirks/differences.
Do you honestly say whilst? I'm from Ireland and I know loads of English people and I've never heard any of them say whilst. Do you live in a castle and have horses and go jousting at the weekends?
I use 'whilst' though normally as comparison like 'i chose this option, whilst the others chose that'' and 'while' for things happening concurrently as in this example 'i speak while I eat'. Also I use it more commonly in writing especially academic writing, probably shouldn't really. (or should i say "shouldst not")
It's perfectly plebian where I'm from (north of England) and should be allowed.
Ah okay, it should be allowed. But it certainly shouldn't be taught to learners. :)
- 1016
You don't have to be posh in order to use the word whilst. Plenty of people do, including myself. While is more universally applicable and can be used to express a space of time in instances where it would not be interchangeable with whilst, such as, "She came a while ago", whereas whilst has more specific meanings: "during the time that", which is interchangeable with while, eg:"Whilst she was speaking, he was quiet", or comparatively: "in contrast with", eg:"Whilst she liked the style of the coat, she didn't like the colour", also interchangeable with while.
You guys still use whilst? That is good to know. I guess in the US, it has dropped out of usage.
I put "I speak as I eat", because this is a valid translation (i.e., like I'm eating, as I eat, that is at the same time)
Think so too ...
also how about "I speak when I eat"? anybody help? thank you.
Enquanto = While (an activity) as, as long as
Durante = During, For [a time]
- I eat popcorn while I watch [the game]
- I eat popcorn during the game
http://www.linguee.com/portuguese-english/translation/enquanto.html
http://www.linguee.com/portuguese-english/translation/durante.html
- 715
This came up amongst the adverbs, but "enquanto" looks like a conjunction to me
In English, while can be adverbial, for instance, I speak during which I eat. This makes the last part of the sentence – explaining what you do as you talk – an adverbial clause. However, that makes while a subordinating conjunction within the clause. On the other hand, some dictionaries such as the Oxford English Dictionary say is it simply an adverb when it means, during which but to confuse the issue, when it means at the same time as then it is indeed a conjunction. =}
To make it all the more confusing add a while (noun) and awhile (which really is an adverb), and whiles (verb).
I'm from the North of England, not posh at all, and say whilst! But I know Americans don't because when I say it around them they're amazed someone uses it in real life!
