2021-03-23
ศัพท์ น่าสับสน ชุด W – whether or not
แนะนำการใช้ ตามที่ส่วนใหญ่ใช้ แต่ละท้องถิ่น
ความหมาย อาจผันแปร ตาม ตำแหน่ง/หน้าที่ ในประโยค
Dictionary.com
ออกเสียง whether = ‘HWETH-er’ or “WETH-er’
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree
Whether = used to introduce the first
of two or more alternative conditions
I haven’t decided whether to go or stay.
Not to be confused with:
weather= meteorological conditions:
temperature and wind and clouds and precipitation;
= face or endure:
I can weather the storm.
Collins COBUILD English Usage
Weather & whether
1. 'weather'
If you are talking about the weather,
you are saying, for example, that it is raining, cloudy, sunny, hot, or cold.
The weather was good for the time of year.
The trip was cancelled because of bad weather conditions.
Be Careful!
Weather is an uncountable noun.
Don't use 'a' with it.
Don't say, for example, 'We are expecting a bad weather'.
Say 'We are expecting bad weather'.
They completed the climb despite appalling weather.
The wedding took place in perfect May weather.
Don't tell someone what the weather is like by saying,
for example, 'It's lovely weather'.
Say 'The weather is lovely'.
The weather was awful. It hardly ever stopped raining.
2. 'whether'
Do not confuse weather with whether.
You use whether when you are talking about two or more alternatives.
I don't know whether to go out or stay at home.
She asked whether I wanted more coffee.
See whether
Collins COBUILD English Usage
whether
Whether is used in reported clauses and conditional clauses.
1. used in reported clauses
You can use a clause beginning with whether
after a reporting verb
such as know, ask, or wonder.
You use whether when you are mentioning two or more alternatives.
You put whether in front of the first alternative,
and or in front of the second one.
I don't know whether he's in or out.
I was asked whether I wanted to stay at a hotel or at his home.
When the two alternatives are opposites,
you don't need to mention both of them.
For example,
instead of saying 'I don't know whether he's in or out',
you can simply say 'I don't know whether he's in'.
Lucy wondered whether Rita had been happy.
I asked Professor Gupta whether he agreed.
2. 'whether...or not'
You can also mention the second alternative using or not.
You put or not either at the end of the sentence
or immediately after whether.
I didn't know whether to believe him or not.
She didn't ask whether or not we wanted to come.
3. 'if'
If can be used instead of 'whether',
especially when the second alternative is not mentioned.
I asked her if I could help her
I rang up to see if I could get seats.
4. reporting uncertainty
If someone is uncertain about doing a particular thing,
or uncertain how to respond to a situation,
you can report this
using a clause consisting of whether and a to-infinitive.
I've been wondering whether to look for another job.
He didn't know whether to feel glad or sorry that she was leaving.
5. used in conditional clauses
You can add a clause containing whether and or not
to a sentence to indicate that
something is true in any of the circumstances you mention.
He's going to buy a house whether he gets married or not.
6. 'weather'
Do not confuse whether with weather,
which is pronounced the same way.
If you say that it is raining, windy, hot, or cold,
you are talking about the weather.
The wet weather lasted all weekend.
Common Errors In English Usage Dictionary
Whether & whether or not
“Whether” works fine on its own in most contexts:
“I wonder whether I forgot to turn off the stove?”
But when you mean “regardlessof whether”
it has to be followed by “or not” somewhere in the sentence:
“We need to leave for the airport in five minutes
whether you’ve found your teddy bearor not.”
Dictionary of Problem Words and Expressions
whether or not
In most sentences, the or not in this phrase is unnecessary.
Or not is a mere filler in a sentence
such as “Whetherthe remark was accurate or not is not certain.”
However, in certainconstructions
equal forceor stress should be given to alternatives:
or not is required in a statement
such as “We shall go whether it rains or not.”
To decidewhether or not is needed, substitute if for whether.
If the if results in a different meaning, then or not is needed.
The sentence quoted would make quite differentsense
if it read “We shall go if it rains …….. “
