![]() Like many other question words, it starts with a “wh” – compare with why, where, who, what, and when. If you’re unsure which you want in your own writing, remember that “whether” is always used to introduce some kind of question (though there won’t necessarily be a question mark involved). You may also find “whether” and “weather” getting muddled up with the word “whither” which is an archaic word meaning “to where” – as in, “whither are you bound?” As homonyms, they sound the same but have different spellings and meanings – and that can make them especially tricky to remember.Īnother possible confusion is with the word “wither”, which is a verb that means “shrivel” or “decay” – as in “the fruit withered on the tree”. The words “weather” and “whether” are both in common use, though, and that’s why it’s easy for people to confuse them. If you find “wether” in a written piece, it’s almost certainly a simple typo (unless you’re reading a farming magazine). Why Do People Confuse Wether, Weather, and Whether? ![]() I’d like you to apologize, if you’re sorry or not. I’ll go to the park if it’s sunny or not. These two just about work with “if” and the repositioning of “or not”, but sound a little awkward: I don’t know if I should go to John’s leaving party or Mary’s baby shower. I’m trying to decide if I’d like another glass. In many sentences, the word “whether” could be replaced with “if”, though this doesn’t work well if there’s an “or not” immediately after “whether”. I’d like you to apologize, whether or not you’re sorry. I don’t know whether I should go to John’s leaving party or Mary’s baby shower. I’m trying to decide whether I’d like another glass. I’ll go to the park whether or not it’s sunny. “Whether” is quite often, but by no means always, followed with “or not”. It’s used in situations where there are two options, though one option may be implied rather than stated. The word “whether” can only be used as a conjunction. Used in the context of ships and storms, “weather” means to “come safely through”. In this sentence, “weather” means to “withstand” or “survive” something that’s difficult or dangerous. Our company has managed to weather the recession. In this context, the verb “weathered” means that the rocks have been worn away or eroded by the action of the weather: the wind and rain, in particular. Here are some examples of “weather” as a verb:Īfter so many years, it’s no surprise that the rocks are weathered. This usage is less common, and can sometimes come across as a little formal or old-fashioned, but you’re likely to come across it at least sometimes, so it’s well worth knowing about. While “weather” is usually a noun that applies to what’s happening outside your window – whether it’s sunny, raining, cloudy, and so on – the word “weather” can also be a verb. The farmer wondered whether the adverse weather had affected his wether. Here’s my attempt at using them all in a sentence. Its roots lie in Old English and Old High German. The frequently misspelled whether is used to introduce a question, often outlining a choice between options. ![]() Weathering, derived from weather, is the result of exposure to wind and weather. In the 14th century, the term also referred to the wind direction, and its roots lie in various terms meaning either wind or storm. Interestingly, when it was first used in Old English in the 12th century, weather always had adverse implications. ![]() That’s according to the Oxford Dictionary of Etymology. ![]() Weather, that stuff up there in the sky, is the ‘condition of the atmosphere with respect to heat or cold, calm or storm, etc’. We all know that MS Word can be easily confused, but there’s no need for us to face the same confusion. Male sheep or ram (the Oxford Dictionary of Etymology traces its roots to Old English, Old High German, Old Norse and Goth)Ĭastrated ram or billy goat (according to A Word A Day). Unless you’re a farmer, you might not even know that wether is either a: Flying fingers find it easy to miss the single letter that separates them. It is easily confused with two of its homonyms, whether and weather. Wether is a prime example of a word that will slip past the spell check. ![]()
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