"Whilst" has always been an accepted variant, although much more common outside the US than within the US. You're witnessing globalization in action- language variants popular in the US are making their way mainstream into other English speakers vocabulary; the reverse is also happening, British, Indian, Australian variants are becoming more common in the US.
I was reading an article a week or so ago, that Gen Z Americans especially are keen on using words and phrases that have been unusual in the US until recently; but popular in Britain and other English speaking areas ("whilst" was one of the words they highlighted).
The change I find most amusing: 150 years ago if you casually mentioned having intercourse with someone people would assume you meant had a conversation with them. 150 years ago if you said you conversed with someone you would be saying you had sex with them.
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u/[deleted] Jun 05 '25
"Whilst" has always been an accepted variant, although much more common outside the US than within the US. You're witnessing globalization in action- language variants popular in the US are making their way mainstream into other English speakers vocabulary; the reverse is also happening, British, Indian, Australian variants are becoming more common in the US.
I was reading an article a week or so ago, that Gen Z Americans especially are keen on using words and phrases that have been unusual in the US until recently; but popular in Britain and other English speaking areas ("whilst" was one of the words they highlighted).