Thanks, Dan,
A check of my handy old (1993!) American Heritage Dictionary 3rd ed I keep
next to the computer shows a Usage Note thus:
"Some critics have tried to discern a semantic distinction between 'toward'
and 'towards,' but the difference is entirely dialectal. 'Toward' is more
common in American English; 'towards' is the predominant form in British
English."
All six of the preposition definitions use "toward" in their example
phrases.
Simple streamlining might be at issue. Drop the "s" from "toward" and "st"
sound from "whilst." A similar thing perhaps in spellings such as "colour"
to "color."
But then I'd turn 'round and argue for shaved spellings such as "spelt"
(British) to the lengthier "spelled" (AmEng). Leads me to wonder why
Americans will try to pronounce every syllable spelled: "LIE. ses. ter.
shy'er," for example, rather than "LESS.t'.sh'r."
Where are those old old textbooks from the university (never called "uni" in
USAm)?
Best,
Judy
> If I may interject anent my own usage:
>
> I tend to use toward to indicate a direction, as in
> "He drove toward the city." Towards suggests a
> process: "They worked towards a solution."
>
> ~ Dan
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "judy prince" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Monday, August 22, 2005 9:45 AM
> Subject: Re: Towards clarity whilst amidst and amongst us
>
>
>> Jon,
>>
>> I see by your email address that you may be an American from the U.S. of
>> A, and p'raps even from the Left Coast. Let me ask you if you shift from
>> "toward" toward/s "towards" for different sounds or uses. Further, can
>> you glean from the ODAUS which spellings/pronounciations are used in
>> various regions throughout U.S.A.?
>>
>> Yours hounourably and coulourfully,
>>
>> Judy
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Jon Corelis"
>> Subject: Towards clarity whilst amidst and amongst us
>>
>>
>>> The Oxford Dictionary of American Usage and Style says that amongst,
>>> amidst,
>>> and whilst are considered archaic and therefore pretentious in American
>>> English but not in British English, and that toward is prevalent in
>>> American
>>> English, towards in British. (I think by American they mean USA, not
>>> Canada.) This more or less accords with my own impression. The forms
>>> in
>>> -st to me would sound definitely odd used by an American. Towards,
>>> though,
>>> seems perfectly ordinary American English, though less frequently used
>>> than
>>> towards.
>>>
>>
>
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