Does anybody else try to preserve the distinction between the two words?
Does anybody else know the distinction between them?
Does anybody else care?
I suppose there are some contexts in which they're interchangeable, but clearly they aren't in every context.
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"So, when you are on FACEBOOK 'networking' with all your FRIENDS, what you are really networking with is a bunch of ELECTRONS that could care less about you or your existence."
I do. But I don't feel great about it.
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Willis, it seems like every other time you post, I need to look up a word that's in the OED or Urban Dictionary but not both.
-Mimir
Okay, I'll bite. Is one creating a conditional statement and the other not? I sat here thinking about this for about 2 minutes trying to come up with a really solid distinction in my head.
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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v129/ukealii50/kylo.jpg - Thanks uke!
http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/829/07kyloforce.png - Thanks Diyosa!
Yep. If is for if-then. Whether is for this or that.
I'll tell you if I'm coming to the party means that you will hear from me IF I am coming and implies that if I don't come you won't hear from me. If and only if, would explicitly say that.
I'll tell you whether I'm coming to the party means that I'll tell you which one I chose.
Rule of thumb: if always sounds like it'll be OK and whether sounds weird when you use it wrong. So mentally try whether first and if it doesn't work, use if.